


It's the End of the World as we Know It

by Beware_The_Tristero



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: (minor) - Freeform, A bit of gore, Alpha Loki, Alpha Phil Coulson, Alpha Steve Rogers, Alpha Thor, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Babies, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Children, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Beta Bruce Banner, Biting/Mating Marks, Half-zombie Bruce?, Hulk is a Zombie-Berserker?, Human AU, Inspired by The Walking Dead, M/M, Mpreg, No Asgard, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Not much..., OCs in later chapters, Omega Clint Barton, Omega Tony Stark, Pre-Slash, Self-Lubrication, Sexual Content, Slash, Slow Build, Slow Burn, This is Explicit in places; please see chapter summaries, Undead, mating cycles/heat, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-05-10 07:30:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 23,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5576740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beware_The_Tristero/pseuds/Beware_The_Tristero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a world where Tony Stark is still a genius and Dr Bruce Banner is doing all that he can... a few survivors (the Avengers... original, am I right?) escape to the billionaire's Malibu mansion to find a cure to the Zombie Apocalypse...</p><p>What follows is a tale of intrigue (I'll try) and romance (really?) which will <i>hopefully</i> survive the winnowing of the human race...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Melan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melan/gifts), [Lucien_Maes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucien_Maes/gifts).



> Two of my merry-band asked for this in the comments from 'TTSOS'...
> 
> I hope that you both enjoy it!
> 
> It won't be as long as 'TTSOS' ... but will hopefully cover the A/B/O Zombie Apocalypse cravings you've both been having : )

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters (unless they're OCs) within this piece of non-profit fiction. I am merely using their names/likenesses for my own entertainment (and hopefully the entertainment of others).

At first, people had treated the outbreak just like they did with any other pandemic; wide-spread news reports with harrowed looking journalists stuttering in front of bio-hazard tents, global experts sitting in on talk shows and multi-media broadcasts from every Government under the sun talking about ‘cures’.

However...

 _Unlike_ every other outbreak, it turned out it _couldn’t_ be contained and, by the time any _actual_ scientist could even _speculate_ about a viable cure... _everyone_ was infected.

Where did it come from? How had it spread so quickly? _Why_ weren’t the dead staying in their coffins? What made them crave human flesh when it was _clear_ they could survive without their intestines... or even their entire bodies? 

So many questions, few answers and, in the after-math of ‘missile-based-cleansing’, very few resources to go around the hundred or so people who’d survived from small-city to small-city across the globe. That didn’t sound so bad, right? However, at the last count before virtually all communication-systems went down, the human race was smaller than one billion in number...

That made for close to seven billion dead with who knew how many billions of them still _up_ and roaming around...

Tony sighed, his tired eyes going back over another batch of inconclusive test-results; two years into the this madness and he was _still_ no closer to finding a way to cure the living or restore some of those who were bitten and on the verge of _turning_.

“Why don’t you come and sit down” an equally exhausted, gravelly voice called from behind him. “The longer you stare at it, the more solar energy you’re wasting.”

Humming, Tony waved the screen away before turning, his gaze landing on his long-time friend and colleague Bruce Banner; his eyebrow quirked when the others’ unnaturally red and green eyes focused on him sharply.

“You okay there, buddy?” the omega asked, his arms folding whilst giving the doctor’s cage a swift, analytical glance. “You’re looking a _little_...”

Bruce laughed, his voice deepening whilst a few of his veins tried to snake out from under his skin.

“Hungry? Demented? _Zombie-like_?” the other brunet finished wryly, his body hunched in and closed off as he screwed himself into a ball in the furthest corner away from Tony, his hands gripping his knees tightly as he watched the slighter man with a predatory keenness.

“Bruce...”

“ _Tony_ , you need to let me out... the vaccination I developed just _isn’t_ holding like it used to...”

“But it is _still_ working!” the omega snapped, his voice rising and causing the other to jerk in response, his eyes briefly flickering brown. “Wear your tracker and let Clint and Phil bring you back when you’re _you_ again and _maybe_ I’ll...”

“You _can’t_ keep asking them to endanger themselves like that Tony! Just let me **leave**...”

“ **Will you stop being so **fucking** selfish!”**

Startling, both Tony and Bruce snapped their heads to the lone stairway in and out of the sub-basement lab; the omega sighed in relief whilst the infected beta keened loudly, the brown fully returning to his irises as his body shrunk down into a more _human_ size and shape.

“Nat...”

“Don’t you _dare_ ” the femme snarled, her form moving gracefully despite her right arm being in a cast and sling. “ _You_ are the only person to regain even a _scrap_ of their humanity after being bitten, _you_ are one of the most brilliant minds on the planet and so _you_ have the obligation to keep yourself together and to _stay_ with us” she said as she limped towards the reinforced cell. “Tony can’t solve this problem without you” she added, her eyes softening whilst she observed him through the ten inch-thick, opaque surface, her left hand reaching out. “And I want... I _need_ my mate back...”

Tony flinched slightly at the rawness of her tone, his legs moving to walk him away so that they could have some privacy before Bruce’s voice, his _true_ voice called out to him: “have Jarvis collar me then” he said, his tone solemn but resolved, his right hand meeting his mate’s left against the glass. “I can’t promise that I’ll like it _but_...” he breathed, his spirit settled by the pervading presence of his mate. “I promise that I’ll come back to you, to _all_ of you” he added although his look never left Natasha; it was as though he was remembering the feel of her skin, her hair... her lips...

Tony nodded then looked to the ceiling sensor; at his non verbal command, a pair of mechanical hands descended from the ceiling to, albeit jerkily, attach a thick, expanding collar about the beta’s neck whilst the back wall slowly began to rise; the formerly beautiful landscape of Malibu rolled out behind them.

With any luck, the _Other Guy_ would take out the herd roaming near his estate’s perimeter; so long as he did it _without_ destroying one of the protective walls Tony didn’t care, he just wanted to sleep.

It was a shame that he wouldn’t get that chance as a new arrival _drifted_ in...


	2. Brace Yourselves... Winter is Coming... (Gah XD)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Oh... cheesy title is cheesy...
> 
> I promise that it'll make sense ; )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here’s just a little clarification. 
> 
> I’ve taken out the “no super-powers” tag because the bunny who originally bit me went rogue... and since the lovely folk who commented seemed to like the idea of the _actual_ Avengers being in the Zombie-Apocalypse well... who was I to say no? However, I stand by the “No Asgard” tag; prepare for an even more alternate, alternate universe... I hope that you like it; those who’ve read my other works may realise that you’re in for a bit of a weird _‘trip’_...
> 
> Ohh, and to keep you in the loop; beside the whole Zombie-Apocalypse, here is one or two other things you need to know: this is set _after_ the Avengers Movie _but_ instead of Loki triggering that event, the demon Dormammu did. Case in point, the Avengers won by teaming up with Dr Stephen Strange (who has been missing ever since), Dr Doom and HYDRA in order to stop him (because, apparently, the F4 and X-Men weren’t available...). You don’t need to know who these people are or how it would have worked. 
> 
> All you _do_ need to know is that Steve found Bucky/freed him from Hyrda’s control, Dr Doom agreed that Hydra was too _dangerous_ to exist and so helped Nick Fury to... _dismantle_ it...
> 
> That was five months before the dead started eating the living... and this has been continuing, unabatedly, for the past two years...
> 
> This is just a short, quick update as I'm still laying down the key-plot points in my mind; more to come this weekend along with a TTSOS update : )

“Is _that_... a _chopper_?”

Staring bewilderedly at one of Jarvis’ long range camera displays, his brows furrowing as he stood behind the office-chair his pregnant mate was occupying, the man who’d once been known as Captain America felt his frown deepen when he saw the vehicle’s insignia.

“Stevie... is _that_...”

“What the hell is a Royal Latvarian helicopter doing over these waters? Doom’s Country is over twelve thousand miles away...”

Turning his head slightly, the blonde alpha shrugged his shoulders slightly as Rhodey walked over to what had been _lovingly_ dubbed the ‘ _Command Centre_ '. It had once been Tony’s Master-Suite but now, with the Arc Reactor being needed to sustain their small community of survivors, this room with the _used to be_ stunning, panoramic views of the North Pacific and the surrounding area was the best ‘look-out’ they could have.

“Is it heading this way Jarvis?”

“It’s current trajectory would imply that, Colonel” the AI responded promptly as another, flickering screen appeared next to the real-time image they were viewing. “Current readings suggest that five persons are onboard; however, the capacity of this particular craft offers room for a maximum of fourteen” he added promptly, his vocals shaking slightly. “Mr Stark, as far as I’m aware, hasn’t authorised for any _guests_ to arrive; should I prepare what remains of the _house-party_ protocol?”

Scowling, Bucky’s nimble fingers skittered over the holo-keyboard before him, his keen eyes trying to discern any familiar faces or postures from shadowy outlines of the people on the HD display; infra-red wasn't picking up any corpses at least...

“Hang fire on that order, J... they aren’t responding to my hails _but_ that whirly-bird isn’t in the best condition” the omega stated, his gaze narrowing on the gashes and dents he could pick out. “Tell Tony and Nat to get up here and make sure that Clint and Phil know we’ve got visitors incoming... you might want to put the gun-turrets on display too, just to be safe” the former Winter Soldier added, his eyes flashing with recognition as he reached for the radio.

“Unnamed Heli bearing 001299(*), this is James Barnes of the Avengers Initiative, do you copy?” he asked; static followed. “If you are requesting permission to land then you will _need_ to make contact or we _will_ take your intentions as hostile, now, do you read?” he added, his shoulders tensing as the incoming vehicle became more and more visible; no... it _couldn’t_ be...

“Do you _copy_... Laufeyson?”

At his words Steve took a swift intake of breath as Rhodey strode over to the mated pair and flanked Bucky’s left side: “you know that guy?”

Tensing, the seven month pregnant omega bared his teeth in a mockery of a smile; at this point the chopper was less than fifty miles away and closing. With the narrowing distance came the cameras’ ability to sync with Jarvis’ facial-recognition technology; there was no question as to who the pilot was...

“Loki Laufeyson, a.k.a The Winter Knight, was one of the five _others_ subjected to Hydra’s Super-Soldier Programme, Project _Winter Solstice_ ” Steve informed the other alpha quietly. All three could now clearly see that the man was flipping switches and talking into his head-set whilst the co-pilot seemed to be... hitting him with a manual and... brandishing a taser...

“We were briefly allied with him and his, ugh, _brother_ during the invasion of New York” the blonde continued when the radio crackled, hummed and spat static. “The last we heard he’d taken up with Doom... and I guess him being in a chopper with _that_ guy’s flag on it confirms it” he huffed unhappily; their last _talk_ hadn’t exactly been _pleasant_...

He could only imagine what Tony would have to say about his sudden reappearance...

(*) Umm... I don't know if these coordinates are accurate (I'm guessing... _no_ ) but it sounded cool to me as I read it back so... please don't be offended if you have anything to do with the military!


	3. No More Calling 'Shot-Gun'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year : )
> 
> Disclaimer: see chapter 1. I would also like to add: all characters belong to their respective creators and affiliates.
> 
> Another quick-burst of goodness brought to you by the 'zombie-bunny'.
> 
> Thanks again for all of the comments and kudos!
> 
> The next chapter will be longer... and contain _reunions_...

“Oh my _fucking_ God! They’re going to _fucking_ shoot us! You _said_ that they’d be running out of resources by now...!”

“You’re _not_ helping, _Lewis_...”

“...Oh shit! Are those machine guns? _Fucking_ machine guns...”

“Brother, why have you not responded to their...?”

“...We’re going to be blown _out_ of the _sky_...!”

“...What does it look like I’m _trying_ to do, you _imbecile_...”

“... No! No! I don’t want to die! What if there’re zombie-sharks in the _fucking_ water...?!”

Taking a deep breath, Jane Foster finished tying one of her mate’s white shirts to an extending pole that had once flown the flag of Victor von Doom’s sovereignty, her hazel eyes steady and resolved as she stood and approached the sliding door, her free hand gripping a hand-bar.

“Stop bickering, slow down, turn and open the door!” she snapped; at her words, all other conversations stopped. The power a pregnant femme had over her pack was _almost_ as potent as that of a carrying omega, after all; Thor’s reaction, though, was beyond the quieting and following of her instructions. No, instead the former, once feared across every continent _Winter King_ leapt from his seat with a strangled, horrified yelp, his blue eyes full of worry and shock whilst he stumbled towards his mate.

“Jane, you mustn’t be standing! Ah! Please move away from the door... allow me to...”

“Oh, for goodness sake” the scientist sighed as the helicopter carefully turned to display its side. “I’m _pregnant_ , not dying” she sighed, her tone exasperated and tired whilst she held the impromptu ‘surrender’ sign away from him and poked it through the retracting gap the door was making.

“At least allow me to hold you” the alpha pleaded, his large frame already positioned behind her, his muscle-corded arms gently enfolding her middle and cushioning the slight growth of her abdomen as keen eyes looked out toward the _mansion_.

He supposed, based on what he knew of Stark in the brief time they’d known and fought together, that he shouldn’t be surprised at the uncanny little omega’s survival for, what once was surely a pleasant, cliff-side retreat now resembled one of the many Hydra bases he’d been stationed in. The whole estate, an impressive expanse of land, was ensconced by a wall reaching at least ten-feet high and a blueish _bubble_ seemed to cap it all. 

The land itself also seemed to be well maintained and housed a series of smaller buildings, possibly dwellings for the few people he could see watching them, a range of solar-panels, a pen of live-stock and a scattering of what looked to be vegetable- patches. The crops, however, even from this height didn’t appear to be fairing well; it appeared as though Lord Doom had indeed been wise to send them here when he did... Especially considering how many of the dead were swarming the adjacent fields and desolated properties across the rocky-coast line... properties that looked as though they, and even a number of the _walkers_ had been _torn apart_...

“Oh Jane! You’re so _smart_ that I could mate you and have _your_ babies!” Darcy called excitedly, her Taser-filled hand waving madly through the window as a landing pad began to slowly protrude from the cliff-face. 

Thor scowled at the remark but said nothing; Darcy Lewis, for all of her eccentricities, was a good femme and someone whom his love cared for a like a younger sister. However, in times like these, when such _brazen_ comments were said, it was sometimes difficult for the tall, former assassin to take a breath and remind himself that she meant no harm, that she wasn’t _actually_ challenging his right to Jane.

Being a _supreme_ alpha did so have its draw-backs when it came to being over-protective...

“Yeah... well don’t thank me just yet” Jane shouted back amidst the noise of the whirling blades, the door having yet to close properly. “Loki, are you _sure_ you can land this thing _right_ this time?”

“Would _you_ like to try?” the raven-haired alpha snipped through the on-board inter-com, his jade eyes narrowing when the helicopter jerked slightly; it looked as though the wind-resistance and the cliff weren’t _getting on_ too well with the vehicle. And it certainly wasn’t helping that his senses were picking up on the multiple falling bodies thirty feet or so away; even though he was concentrating on the controls the fact that they kept on flagging up in his peripheral vision was becoming a nuisance.

It wasn’t helping that, as they plummeted, obviously attracted to the deadly-drop by the noise, Darcy laughed and made cartoon-styled falling and crashing noises. 

When they returned to Latvaria, he was banning the “I-call-shot-gun” rule.


	4. The Good Old Days...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Lucien... I'm sorry... I promised FrostIron heavy this chapter but it all, kind of, ran away from me... ran _away_ with me?
> 
> Anyway... this chapter grew into a plot-monster; so I down-sized it and split into three...
> 
> I promise FrostIron soon!  
> ...  
> ...  
> ...

Staring at the screen, his scowl thunderous, Tony pointed a finger before saying: “shoot it down, Jarvis.”

“What? Tony you can’t just...”

“Rhodey, please, my house, my rules” the genius stated to the bemusement of the others assembled before the digital-displays. “Let that frosty bastard drown, him and whoever else is _stupid_ enough to think that we’re an open-house...”

“I feel it appropriate to mention at this time...” the AI cut in, his once crisp, sardonic British accent lost to the static his limited power-reserves had doomed him to for the time being. “...That there are, indeed, five life-signs onboard and yet my scanners are only picking up on _four_ actual persons...”

The whole room turned to Tony at the revelation, their eyes narrowed, especially when Bucky’s _human_ hand moved to gently rub his own swelling midsection; the engineer huffed under the scrutiny, his golden eyes, a clear sign of his unmated status, rolling in exasperation.

“Ugh... _fine_ , release the cliff-side pad and let them in... **but** I want it on record, for when this shit hits the fan, that _I_ did _not_ want anything to do with this” he partially growled as he spun on his heels and approached the stairwell. “Now, if you’ll _excuse_ me, I’ve got a Hulk to track and tests to run...”

“Tony, come on, don’t be like that...” Steve tried, his tone pleading.

“No, no... _don’t_ mind _me_ ” he called over his shoulder as he made to exit the Commander Centre, his eyes locking on each of the alphas in turn; “to be honest, I’m just looking forward to saying ‘I told you so’ after that whack-job kills you all in your _sleep_ ” he grumbled petulantly.

And with that, Tony made his way down the stairs... just as the helicopter made a, albeit bumpy, successful landing on the rusted, close to disused heli-pad. 

_“Oh Tony, why are you so mean? Why can’t you just let the whole **betrayal** thing go? Just because he **lied** about liking you and **stole** some of your most ground-breaking designs doesn’t **mean** that he’s a **bad** person”_ the omega snipped to himself as he left the stairs.

Then, with a sigh, the inventor regarded the main ‘Common’ area where every survivor they housed gathered each afternoon for their _Town_ meeting; God, had this _really_ once been his open-plan living space? It was sometimes hard to believe, even though he’d already lived through so much, that this was his life now; hadn’t being the unloved son of a raging alcoholic or being abducted several times with the last time resulting in a shrapnel-shredding been enough?

Well, apparently whatever entity in the Universe that hated him _clearly_ didn’t think so and now an open space which’d once featured expensive art-work and classy, minimalist furniture was strewn with cushions, bean-bags, chairs and couches of varying sizes, shapes and colours. Then there was the variable crowd of survivors, their problems and the _droves_ of hungry corpses groaning around the walls his last few, functioning Ironman suits had hastily built just under two years ago... God, he just hoped that the Arc Reactor he’d managed to cobble together held and that the force-field he and Bruce’d created would remain stable; Jesus, the list of problems and worries he had to deal with now was becoming endless...

He sighed; and, to top it all off, _he_ was here...

“Tony?”

Blinking, his eyes tracking to the left, the thirty-eight year old let a genuine smile light his tired features as Pepper walked towards him, her beautiful face worried as she looked from the tablet she carried to his tensed form.

“Is this right? Have you authorised for...”

“Yeah, well, apparently he’s not alone and there’s a pregnant someone or other with him so of _course_ I couldn’t just, you know, let them land in the freak-zone by the wall...” he shrugged off, his hand gesturing to the stairwell across the Common room. “So, ugh, just have Jarvis get me if you need anything, ‘cus with Bruce, Clint and Phil all being out someone needs to keep an eye on what they’re doing... and I think Captain _Wonder_ is gonna have his hands full” he added hurriedly as his former lover and best-friend frowned, her blue eyes awash with worry.

“Okay” she breathed with a quick tilt of the head. “But don’t get locking yourself in down there, I know you’ve zombie-proofed the Hulk’s enclosure but I’d rather you not be somewhere so isolated by yourself... if we had a breach...”

“Oh, come on Pep, you’re worrying too much” the inventor said with a grin, his legs back-stepping him towards his intended destination. “Just because the sub-basement opens out into _Zombie-Land_ doesn’t mean any of them can get in; hell, the Big Guy can’t even put a dent in that reinforced tectonite-glass” he reassured, his body nearing the exit he craved. 

“So, umm, I’ll catch you later, alright?”

Smiling briefly, the femme watched him go, her eyes picking up on the furrow of his brows and the worry-tensing his shoulders; it was so unfair that he was taking so much upon himself but, as always, Tony Stark would allow no one in and seemed to be fixated on suffering alone. Hell, he'd even been that way when they were a couple, back in the time of Tony pretending to be a beta and the biggest threats they’d had to face was Obadiah’s murderous ambitions, Vanko’s cruelty, Hammer’s deviousness and Demonic invasion lunacy...

How in the world had all of those things become _the good old days?_... 

She took a breath, her eyes re-focusing on the tablet as the live CCTV footage showed two femmes and two alphas, one of whom she knew _all_ too well, walking through the security doors which barred the landing-pad from the rest of the basement complex with a few bags, cases and a box or two. 

It looked as though this Thursday afternoon was going to be even _more_ interesting than usual...


	5. Packs, Friends and Enemies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> So, a lot of people are wondering how the whole "Winter" thing works in terms of Bucky, Thor and Loki; don't worry, explanations are coming...
> 
> I'm waiting for a more _natural_ time to add the what/how/why to the plot instead of just randomly inserting it...
> 
> I _did_ say in the summary that I was gunning for intrigue and romance, right?
> 
> Right...

“Greetings Mr Odinson, Mr Laufeyson and guests; please place all luggage on the scanning belt for processing whilst you wait for Captain Rogers and Colonel Rhodes to attend you” the AI stated as the doors shut-closed with an ominous ‘thunk’, the helicopter now completely blocked from view. 

The four of them now stood in what looked to be a kind of locker/changing room; before them lay another set of heavy, steel-doors and around them a series of metal containers and a large conveyer-belted scanning device. 

Bucky frowned lightly as he watched them do as they were told, his blue eyes roaming from the two alpha’s he’d once worked with in the Winter Solstice programme to the smaller, brunet femmes; so they hadn’t travelled with the Winter Queen or Huntress...

“Can’t we get any audio?” Natasha asked, her own gaze narrowed on the ebony haired alpha as he easily picked up and placed the largest of the cases onto the now moving belt.

“Not unless we want to drain more power out of the reserves” the omega responded quietly whilst the blonde placed an arm around the older of the femmes; well, that gesture, at least, answered one of his questions.

“And they clearly know we’re monitoring them; those bastards are turning their heads at every other word so reading their lips is impossible” the former spy added, her supple body curled within the office-chair Bucky had vacated at Steve’s departure. “Seems a little strange that they’d be travelling here with civilians and minor provisions... Jarvis, what’s in the boxes?”

“They appear to be medical supplies, fire-proof blankets, bottled water, water filters and dehydrated food-stuffs” the AI answered wryly. “Perhaps they are to be bartering tools or ‘peace’-offerings?” he added as the last package, one of the femmes’ hand-bags, was carried through the scanner and into another room beyond the security doors.

Humming in contemplation, Bucky continued to observe the four as the tell-tale clatter of Pepper’s high-heels signalled her approach; “why in the world are you allowing them _all_ to come in here?” she questioned the room, although her focus on the pregnant omega. “Don’t get me wrong, in these times every child needs to be saved and protected... but you _know_ what happened the last time _they_ were here... especially _him_ ” she said, her tone going from annoyed to angry as she spoke. 

“Is it some kind of... super-secret-assassin thing? Is that it?” she queried hotly whilst moving to stand by the two, her business ‘face’ on and her frown firm. “Because, you know that I think the world of you, _both_ of you” she clarified when the omega snorted. “But you can’t use your status within this pack, _our_ pack, for your own purposes James... none of us can” she affirmed sternly: “none of us can... not after so many losses...”

Huffing, Bucky turned to her whilst Natasha quietly and _delicately_ moved her chair between them, the younger femme’s eyes never leaving the screen.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about” the brunet said, his brows furrowing. “Along with two others, Thor, Loki and I were taken, _against our will_ by Hydra to become their living weapons _but_ that doesn’t _mean_ that we’re comrades or that we even _like_ each other” he added, his tone level, calm and emotionless. 

“You mean to say that those femmes _aren’t_ the...”

“No, they’re not” Natasha piped up as she leaned a little bit further forward. “My guess is that they’re sisters, _clearly_ civilians and the older of the two is the one carrying... and carrying Thor’s child” she stated blandly, a sculpted brow raising as the shorter, more energetic woman approached the camera and waved before Loki snatched her hand and, quite obviously, berated her.

“So... they’re all mated to each other?” Pepper breathed out, her teeth gritting at the thought of the raven-haired alpha coming to Tony’s home and _flaunting_ his femme-mate around; by God, she would _not_ allow it...

“I wouldn’t go that far” Natasha mused, her index finger circling the right side of the young, wildly gesturing femme’s neck; her vest-top and low-slung cardigan revealed that the juncture between her neck and shoulder hadn’t been graced by a mating mark.

“Hmm... well, if they aren’t members of your spy clan, just who are they?” the former CEO asked, her face becoming contemplative as Jarvis allowed the security doors to open; she smiled slightly when she saw her mate standing beside a solemn faced Steve, his face firm and serious in the presence of the other two alphas. 

Together, they’d make sure that that bastard wouldn’t harm Tony again; not if they could help it...


	6. What's the Deal?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.

Regarding the luggage that’d passed through Jarvis’ scanners, Steve gave a nod to Rhodey; at the signal the (technically) younger alpha pressed the door-release, his mahogany eyes narrowed when they began to creak apart. Then, when the palest of the two alpha’s walked through the opening, he took _great_ delight in punching him in the face; it might not have hurt the _supreme_ alpha, as they’d been so dubbed, but it sure as hell felt good.

“What is the meaning of this hostility?” Thor shouted angrily, his body jolting toward the slighter male whilst Jane and Darcy stood behind them, their eyes wide and startled.

“Oh _you_ know” Rhodey growled as Steve moved to stand between the other two alphas; Loki snorted whilst his left hand swiped across his split lip with a grin.

“Why Colonel, I do not believe that you and I have been introduced...”

“Yeah, well, you can save it; state your business then get the fuck out” the darker skinned male hissed, his arms crossing his shirt-clad chest as he observed the two spies; each was clad in black leather and Kevlar-based suits that hugged their impressive physiques and proudly showcased Doom’s flag across their hearts. It was pathetic; who the hell was still dressing for regular combat in times like these anyway? Surely thicker body armour and weapon-belts would be more practical; hell, the pair looked more like Bucky’s Winter Soldier guise than anything else. However, he supposed if _he_ were showing up to someone else’s base then he’d want to be wearing something he knew he could move in; especially if it meant looking _that_ menacing.

“I will not have you speak to my brother in such a manner” the blonde snapped, his eyes swiftly moving to his two female charges. “And can you not _see_ that there is a pregnant carrier in our number? Surely you...”

“Know and understand that you brought her along to make sure we let you in?” Rhodey finished, his brow raised and frown set. “Heh, it’s the oldest trick in the book.”

“You misunderstand” Thor breathed, his thunderous eyes shifting from the speaker to the man he’d once fought alongside. “Captain, please be reasonable...”

“I’m sorry _King_ ” Steve said, his posture mirroring his friend’s. “But he’s absolutely right; it’d be irresponsible of us to allow you any further without certain assurances. We have children, femmes and omegas here who need our protection and alphas who have been through _too much_ not to be suspicious or cause challenging fights, especially since your youngest companion is clearly unmated” he argued, his shoulders set.

“So, why are you here?”

Scowling, the taller of the four went to argue before Loki put up a hand to silence him.

“Honestly? (Rhodey snorted) We’ve been sent here by our employer; we have been watching you via his satellite network and felt that it was best to contact you sooner rather than later” he said, his smooth voice like velvet as he eyed the other alphas and offered a toothy grin. “He has made some quite _startling_ discoveries in terms of the virus responsible for this _mutation_ ; however, he requires certain _things_ from a laboratory located in Genosha and, as skilled as his own forces are... He felt that the _expertise_ of the Avengers would be needed if we’re to successfully acquire what is needed to formulate a vaccine” he finished, his tone provocative and refined as Rhodey scowled. 

“Therefore we have been sent on ahead to lay the ground-work, as it were; Lord Doom himself is making his way towards us on one of SHIELD’s hellicarriers and has expressed his great _hope_ that you’ll consider joining him in order to save this world” he continued frankly, his jade eyes narrowed. “Did we not work well together the last time the Earth was in peril? Do you not think that we’d be able to do so again?” he furthered, his hands gesturing to the boxes. “We have plenty of provisions to offer; these are merely a token of his good-will and there will be more _spoils_ to share if you agree... you are some of the only humans left outside the walls of his Kingdom, after all” he added with a shrug.

“However, perhaps these talks would be _best_ carried out within your home, yes? With all members of your team present?” he all but purred. “If it would sweeten the deal and grant us asylum with you for the three weeks it will take our employer to arrive... then we would happily give _Lewis_ to an alpha of your choice” he said through a smirk as the young femme squawked awkwardly behind him. “And I too would be more than happy to offer _my_ services to any in need of a mate... I take it that _Stark_ is still available?”

Snarling, Rhodey took a threatening step forward, his fists clenched when Steve managed to restrain him; Loki merely cocked a brow at the display, his smirk growing to something truly terrible as he cooed out: “I can scent him all around you, you know... Ah, isn’t it _ridiculously_ irresponsible to have such an _enticing_ little thing running around so close to the _infected_?” he asked innocently, his tongue snapping out to lick his lips.

“So, are we ready to make a deal?”


	7. A Trigger, A Bang and a Thud...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Yay world-building : )

Pulling the arrow free of the rotten creature’s head, his stomach no longer churning at the stench or the sickening _squelch_ that popped when the hooked edge of his preferred weapon was released, Clint spat at the side of what _used to be_ some kind of business-man. Then, after wiping the grime off of the shaft, he slipped it back into the quiver with practised ease, his sharp eyes and ears scanning this new, unexplored stretch of the beach-side high-way for threats or resources.

“Tony’s just text” he heard Phil call from the abandoned car they’d stopped to raid. “Hulk’s loose up and around the North-Point but he’s staying pretty close to the beaten path he’s been making” he added as he ducked out of the driver’s side. “And it seems that we’ve got some uninvited guests to deal with, too.”

Blinking, Clint looked up from the wallet he’d pulled from the walker’s trousers, his left hand fisting a wad of useless cash and the cadaver’s driving license as he turned to his mate with a frown.

“Apparently a Latvarian Helicopter containing one of our _favourite_ people just dropped out of the Pacific sky for a _social_ call at sometime around 13:00” the alpha clarified, his tone dead-pan but his gaze steely. 

“The _fuck_ ” the younger omega snarled, his legs storming him over to the vehicle. “Why the _hell_ has he been allowed to...?”

“A pregnant femme was on board (Clint snorted: “yeah, _right_... fucking _Trickster_ ”) and the rest of the pack decided it was worthwhile seeing what the situation was” the former SHIELD agent said with a shrug, his own hands rustling a canvas bag full of ‘goods’. “If we start back now we should reach the base by 14:30... and not that Tony said anything...”

“...But we can’t let him be anywhere near that snake without support” the blonde finished hotly, his rage building with each step he took toward their SUV; wisely allowing his mate some breathing space, Phil followed behind whilst slipping his dagger back into the sheath attached to his belt. 

“God, of all the times... You know what? No, I’m not going to give that prick the satisfaction of knowing I’m pissed... I’m not even going to _speak_ with him or his half-brained twit of a giant _brother_ if he’s brought him along for the ride” he grumbled as Phil went to manually unlock the doors.

“It’s hard to believe that either he or Steve used to be little guys, isn’t it?” the alpha asked conversationally whilst slipping behind the wheel and starting the ignition. 

“Yeah, well, that Swedish-meatball wasn’t given _Winter King_ as his codename for nothing... Fucking Hydra and their super-soldier experiments... Damn-it, I don’t _want_ to feel bad for him _or_ Loki but that is some fucked-up shit... especially when you think about Bucky and how feral he was when Steve first found him... I take it that you had access to all of the reports we got from Hydra before it crumbled?”

Nodding, Phil gently curved the black, mud and blood spattered SUV away from the fly-ridden remains of _something_ , his focus never leaving the cracked tarmac and ragged-lawned area as he answered. 

“It didn’t exactly make for pleasant reading, and of course everything to do with the serums used, how they were applied... well, if we ever had that information Nick hid it in a real good place... and I think the whole world would have known if _Doom_ had been able to successfully replicate any of the more potent serums” he sighed. “Oh, which reminds me, Tony’s text said that there were two femme’s onboard the copter... did Bucky ever confide in you about the Winter Queen or Huntress?”

Staring out of the window, the omega hummed thoughtfully; “no, not really... and I didn’t want to push the matter; you know he doesn’t really talk to anyone except Steve or Sam... huh, but I _do_ remember him naming them... Let’s see... Queen was a femme by the name of Emma Frost, I think... she was blonde and British like Loki... I think she’d been a spy for MI6 before Hydra... Well, you know... and, as for the Winter Huntress... I don’t think she and Bucky had too much to do with each other... He said that her name was Amore or Amora or something _and_ the one thing he knew for certain about her was that she was _obsessed_ with Thor in a the _bunny-boiler, ‘Play Misty for Me’_ way” he huffed through a shrug. "Apparently she wouldn’t stand for another femme or an omega to be anywhere near him... so you can imagine what it must have been like for Buck to be stuck on a team with the both of them" he added softly, his eyes hardening. 

“And to think... after going through something like _that_ , the brain-washing, the torture, the _abuse_... Loki _wanted_ to replicate those damned subservience-collars? That he’d use it on me and tried to do the same to Tony? Jesus... now I’m getting _fucking_ pissed again!”

Keeping his face blank as Clint slammed his fist on the dash-board, Phil carefully moved his hand to rest on his mate’s knee and gave it a gentle, calming squeeze; through the bond they shared, he sent as many soothing thoughts as he could despite his own outrage at the remembrance.

He didn’t care what the reasons were for that _alpha_ being admitted into his _home_ or that Steve was technically their leader; should the raven-haired mad-man take even one _step_ out of place then Phil wouldn’t hesitate to end him with one of Tony’s more _specialist_ toys.

Hell, looking at the distress cloaking his mate, he might not even need a reason; just a trigger, a bang and a _thud_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, just to clarify:
> 
> a) I'm sorry that this is so short/a little hurried. My work-load has suddenly become ridiculous...
> 
> b) I love understated yet BAMF Phil... I hope that came across...
> 
> c) The Winter Solstice Programme will be explained in more detail soon. However, for now all you need to know (which I hope I have alluded to in the story) is that:
> 
> King/Queen were so named because they were give the most 'successful' super-soldier-serum Hydra could make. Therefore Emma Frost and Thor are on the same 'level' as Steve in most ways (in some cases better/worse too... tba)
> 
> Knight: the next rank down.
> 
> Soldier/Huntress: the next rank down. Both Amora/Bucky were given the 'first' attempts at the serum/first attempts at brain-washing... that's why they'd be more emotionally unstable than the other three. 
> 
> I hope this makes sense!
> 
> I'm planning for the next update to happen this weekend.


	8. First Impressions...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Hi guys, sorry the ol'updating has been kinda stunted... January has been crazy (has it only been ten days?!) and so I've not had the time to write...
> 
> So, before anything **big** 'kicks off' in this story, here is a little bit of filler!
> 
> Also, TTSOS will be updated again soon! I promise!

“Wow... this isn’t _awkward_ ” the youngest member of the room breathed, her body curled into an armchair as she sipped the hot-chocolate the oldest femme, a woman by the name of Pepper, had made for her. “Like, not even a little bit... at _all_...”

“Darcy...”

“ _Jane_ ” the other brunet whined back before sitting up straight, her eyes swiftly assessing those gathered in the ‘Common’ room as her face pulled a look between a pout and a scowl. “Are we really just gonna sit around, stare or glare at each other and not _say_ anything until the alphas and that _scary_ lady come back from the training-room place?” she asked around a huff.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did you think that we were going to roll out the red-carpet? Offer you champagne on arrival?” Sam scoffed from his perch on the love-seat beside a quiet, contemplative Bucky. “Hell, you’re lucky that we even let you in at all; you _do_ know that the majority of the survivors believe your boss is the guy who started this whole zombie-mess, don’t you?”

“Look, just because we’re citizens of Latvaria now doesn’t mean that we work for...” the other pregnant occupant of the room tried to reason.

“Huh, that’s funny, the last I heard the _Sovereign State of Latvaria_ was a dictatorship where _everyone_ worked to promote the glory of _Doom_ ” Sam interrupted, his eyes narrowing on Jane as she frowned at him.

“A great deal has happened since anyone from outside of the State has seen, let alone _heard_ anything that’s even remotely accurate, Victor is...”

“Victor?”

“Hey man, what are you trying to start here, anyway?” Darcy interjected hotly, her eyes narrowing on the beta. “We don’t want to be here either, you know, but _we_ kind of figured the whole _saving humanity_ thing was more important than our own, personal feelings” she snapped, her hot-chocolate forgotten as she pointed from herself to Jane.

“You don’t _know_ us, alright? And we don’t know you _but_ all that matters is that we’re alive, right? Doesn’t that mean something? Doesn’t that mean that we should look past whatever reason you have for this _whole_ nasty attitude and, I don’t know, act like civilised people? Isn’t that what separates us from those _things_ outside?”

Opening his mouth to retaliate, Sam blinked when Bucky nudged him, his eyes calm: “she’s right” he said softly, gaze slowly turning to the two femmes directly in front of him within the circle of furniture nearest the kitchen. 

“So, let’s start over; I’m Bucky Rogers, Steve’s mate and this punk is Sam Wilson, a former Agent of SHIELD” he offered, his flesh-hand closing into a fist which lightly bumped the beta’s shoulder; said beta snorted at the gesture. “Our kind hostess, on the other hand, is Pepper Rhodes; her mate is the one who gave Laufeyson such a _warm_ welcome” he added with a nod in the red-head’s direction; the femme smiled in turn before sipping her tea, her eyes darting to the elevator the alphas and Nat had taken.

“And you are?”

Relaxing back into her chair, Darcy hugged her mug, her scorn forgotten quickly as she smiled: “Darcy Lewis, under-grad and zombie-hater extraordinaire” she chirped whilst pushing her glasses up her nose. “And it is my pleasure to present Dr Jane Foster-Odinson... but I guess that much was obvious huh? Well, what you might not know is that, before this shit got real, good’ol Jane here was tracking an asteroid unlike anything any astrophysicist had ever seen before” she continued with a flourish.

“Turns out we’re not only dealing with a zombie-virus... but a zombie-virus _from space_...”


	9. Complete... Global... Saturation...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Heh, the title is a nod to my favourite video-game antagonist of all time; Albert Wesker MUST BE REVIVED! The Resident Evil Franchise has become so much mud without him : (
> 
> He also had the idea to spread a virus into Earth's atmosphere; wow Tristero... you're just full of your own, _original_ ideas, aren't you?
> 
> Heh...
> 
> I particularly love his D.C. Douglas persona... I ship Wesker/Redfield like crazy but could never write it... : (

“You’re expecting me to believe that this is all thanks to little green men from Mars sending a _pod_ which saturated the atmosphere with a virus? Really? The three of us may have grown up in the thirties and forties, Thor, but this is something not even our sci-fi comics could dream up” Steve breathed through a sigh as he paced in front of the mat the brothers were occupying, his brow furrowed.

“Believe it, don’t believe it, it makes no difference to us” Loki quipped as he lounged brazenly, his posture akin to a resting puma as he waved his half eaten power-bar in the air whilst regarding the room. “But, for your information, the aliens we’re referring to aren’t from Mars... I believe Reid Richard’s, who had been communicating with them for some time, referred to them as ‘Skrulls’... such a vulgar name, don’t you think? Well, as it turns out, this race of creatures fancy themselves the soon-to-be-occupiers of Earth, only they aren’t sold on the whole idea of _sharing_...”

Rhodey blinked; Loki caught the motion and grinned toothily: “what’s the matter _Colonel_? Does this sound a little familiar? Perhaps _similar_ to some of the more shady bio-warfare technologies that were being developed before Dormammu attacked?”

Huffing, his crossed arms tightening from where he leaned against the mirrored wall, the slightly shorter alpha glared at the speaker, his lips sneering. “So says Doom’s pet-project” he growled before rolling his shoulders in a slight shrug. “It’s no secret, all Countries with bio-weapons had been developing super-viruses to wipe out opposing threats...”

“Or innocent civilians occupying land that someone wanted to grab; it’s as ingenious as it is simple. Inoculate your soldiers, drop the bomb on the unsuspecting town or City, wait for the required time and sweep out the bodies...” Loki casually continued, his brow raising at the (technically) younger man. “Not that you or your U.S. Government would ever have _dreamed_ of doing such a thing, hmm?”

“I guess a low-life, double-crossing Hydra lapdog like _you_ would know that, huh?” Rhodey retorted, his back straightening.

“Ah, yes, the same double-crossing Hydra lapdog who did so much _more_ than _lap_ at the omega you now simper to...”

“Oh, that is it!”

“Rhodey!” 

“Brother! What did I tell you about...?”

“What the fuck is going on here?”

Blinking, Rhodey stopped mid-stride, his left arm caught by a relieved looking Steve just as Natasha slid to position herself between the seething alpha and the preening Loki; everyone, including a bewildered Thor, turned to the flickering holo-screen which crackled to life behind the Nordic-blonde.

“Tony...”

“Save it, Steve, I knew having _him_ here was going to cause problems _but_...” he snapped when the alpha went to argue. “I’ve been listening in to you and the others upstairs; as weird as it sounds that Jane girl seems to know her shit... it will have taken some pretty specialist knowledge to sneak something like that into our back-yard and, after the New York incident, we can’t just _rule out_ the bizarre and unexplained... Hell, and this is _me_ , Mr Science, talking” he added, his face slightly distorted by energy depletion.

“So look, it’s getting late in the day, the natives are getting restless since Jarvis’ explanation as to why a fucking helicopter has shown up isn’t good enough and Bruce is still out _venting_ ” he stated; if Loki flinched briefly at the name, no one mentioned it. 

“That means that you...” he directed at Steve. “And Bucky are going to have to run the meeting at five _before_ dinner... you know that Blakely won’t be satisfied until the Alpha-Couple speak to the masses, so come on up so we can get our story and this whole _alien_ thing sorted out; trusting Doom wouldn’t be my first choice, but I think it’s worth hearing them out... And Rhodey? You and Nat need to suit up and bring the Big Guy home; according to our Hulk tracker he’s running out of steam after smashing through that herd we spotted three days ago” he added before looking down at a now pleasantly grinning Loki.

“Rock of Ages.”

“Anthony, you’re looking delectable as always...”

“Heh, yeah well... Don’t take this the wrong way, or anything, but if you so much as put a foot outside of this room then Jarvis will shoot you in your lying, shit-eating face; I hope you realise that I am _not_ joking as blood is _real_ difficult scrub out of a concrete floor” he delivered tonelessly before looking to Thor. “As for you, Point-Break, you’re going to be on baby-sitting duty; if you forget to feed your little fiend there then not only will he die but _you_ will have to deal with him _after_ , you got it?”

Frowning, Thor looked from the blue, hazy image to the lean man he considered kin; “is this not a little inhospitable?” he asked slowly, his hands raising in surrender when Rhodey snarled and Tony scoffed. “Please, I know that Loki has caused you harm (“oh, wow, fuck you” Tony muttered) but surely you can’t have him stay in this solitary place for our time here? It is cold and there is only a latrine with no true bathing facilities...”

“Oh... I’m sure he’ll manage” Rhodey chirped sarcastically as he made his way to the double doors, his smirk stretching as Loki scowled. “Well, you heard the man, let’s roll on out guys and gal” he called as he opened the doors with a grin.

“I’ll take Hulk-wrangling over being in a room with _him_ any day of the week.”

Stepping swiftly behind him, Natasha offered a nod when she matched his pace; well, at least that had gone better than she expected.


	10. The Times, They Are A Changing...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Yay world-building!
> 
> I did tag 'slow-burn', right?
> 
> Right...
> 
> FrostIron Reunion to follow! : )

Blakely, Bucky decided, was one of the biggest dicks he’d ever had the displeasure of having to work with.

“... and Mr Stark still hasn’t looked over...”

Scarily, the middle-aged alpha (one of the few luckily enough to still have his mate and two children) didn’t seem to think the extinction of man-kind _meant_ that society and standard rules, laws and deadlines should have to go with it.

“... Also, how many times must I ask that Miss Romanov consult me before taking the children to the shooting range? Little Gregory almost...”

Not that he was a _bad_ guy, not really, he just believed that he was important enough to challenge anything and _everything_ within the safety of the force-field since he’d been elected as ‘Spokesperson’ for the civilians they’d been able to save.

“... we just don’t think it’s worth the risk having _that_... err, I man, Doctor Banner in his _condition_...”

And why had they felt it necessary to ask the group of forty-three to pick a representative? Well, Bucky was fucked if he knew; it certainly didn’t make much sense... or make him _not_ want to punch the guy in his pasty, poorly-shaved face.

“Look, Mr Blakely...”

“Pete, _please_...”

“ _Pete..._ ” Bucky continued tonelessly as they walked the wall’s perimeter, his bionic hand occasionally testing the bricks stability and making notes on his tablet. “I get that you and the others want answers and we’ll be discussing everything we’re able to tonight at the meeting...” he reasoned, his patience thinning. “So, if you don’t mind, I need to get back to...”

“Now, you see, this is what I’m talking about... you’re our _leaders_ and yet it is becoming harder and harder to trust what you say and do because you’re not telling us anything; I know that we’re just regular folk but we can help, we _want_ to help!” he argued gruffly as they approached the main gate. “Don’t you think that the alphas here feel bad? We’re leaving you guys to do all of the heavy-work and just _lounging_ around... surely there’s more that we can...”

“How many people have you killed, Pete?”

Stuttering on his next few words, the forty-eight year old blinked, his right hand wiping his forehead; Jesus, just walking around the estate seemed to have exhausted him and his rotund, doughy form.

“I-I’m sorry, what?”

“How many?” Bucky repeated as they moved to stand at the right pillar, his hands deftly pulling a USB cable from his tablet to plug into the terminal, his steely-eyes reviewing the data as it streamed through; now that 70% of the Arc Reactor’s out-put was feeding directly into the force-field the wall was faring better. 

“Urm, I, well, none of course...”

“And so how do you think that you’d be of any use to us?” he continued, his fingers tapping in a few command-codes so that he could access the CCTV cameras atop the pillar; Phil and Clint should be on their way back by now and he wanted to make sure the path was clear. At least he wouldn’t to do that for Rhodey and Tasha was they’d be veering away from the wall and down to the sub-basement Hulk enclosure. 

“... Ah, yes, I see what you’re saying... but we could go to the surrounding towns and suburbs with you to look for supplies at the very least...”

“Oh, yeah, sure” Bucky interrupted, his tone now mimicking the alpha’s as he watched a gaggle of walkers shuffle before the gate, their mangled hands uselessly batting at the reinforced metal as they screeched and groaned; blocking out the noise was another _blessed_ benefit the force-field offered. “A group of civilians with limited experience snooping around, making noise and attracting attention; huh, do’ya know what Pete? I think you got something there” ha added conversationally as the alpha’s face dropped and his shoulders sagged.

Sighing and rolling his eyes, Bucky snorted, his left foot nudging the other’s sneaker-clad feet.

“Look, how many times do we have to reassure you guys? How many more times are you going to try this conversation? God knows you’ve approached Steve, Rhodey and Sam enough before now” he said through a sigh before looking back at the camera-feed. “Your most valuable contribution is your lives and doing everything to keep them” he said firmly as Phil’s SUV started down the mile-stretch of cracked road leading to the estate. 

“But...”

“No _buts_ Pete” the omega reaffirmed, his eyes turning back to the fattened, track-suit wearer. “We’re a team, a _community_ where everyone is important... even if it’s just tending the garden or helping with the kids... So can you do me a favour?” he asked, his question causing the older man to perk up a bit.

“You need to put this whole macho-alpha stuff to one side, alright? We can’t afford to rely on the old ways...”

“And so we have to sit back, relax and pretend that a Helicopter didn’t land here two hours ago? That you are going to tell us everything? Take care of us whilst we play along like sheep?” the alpha grunted, his patriarchal ideals flaring at the _omega_ telling him how to behave.

Remembering past encounters with the blow-hard in front of him, Bucky allowed a smirk to crawl across his lips as the SUV honked its horns; the gates began to part and, along with the blue of the force-field, both of the men could see the vehicle and the eight walkers clambering around it.

“Well” the younger of the pair said with a gesture. “If you don’t _like_ how things are here, Pete-boy, there’s the door” he chuckled, his smirk pulling into something truly terrible whilst the shorter male paled, his eyes as wide as saucers the car, registering as inorganic material, seamlessly drove through. Then, like bugs meeting their fate at the wipers on a wind-shield, the un-dead creatures stumbled, smeared and collapsed against the blue of the barrier, their rotten flesh blackening and charring on impact.

Stuttering in terror, Blakely rounded behind Bucky with a startled yelp, his eyes glued to the foul smelling gunk which lathered the SUV as it slowly pulled up in front of them, an incredulous Phil regarding the display whilst Clint waved at them, his grin shit-eating. 

“Hey there campers” he called before leaning back to exit the vehicle through the retracting window. “You interested in helping out with clean-up Petie-pie? Seems to me like you’re out looking for something to do again...”

“N-no, no, I’m fine, I’m good... great, even” the middle-aged man choked out, his left hand covering his nose against the smell, his watering eyes meeting Bucky’s once more.

“I’ll leave you to finish up... and to get ready for later, Mr Rogers... please give my regards to your mate and let him know that everyone’ll be present... I’ll make sure of it...” he stammered whilst fumbling his way around the SUV and quick-stepping back towards the plot of eco-housing the civilians occupied, his body shaking.

“See you then!” Clint shouted cheerfully whilst the gates closed behind them, effectively blocking the view of more corpses traipsing down the road and cutting out the moans of those still disintegrating next to the force-field. “God, what an _asshole_ ; was he trying to swing his _weight_ again?” the other omega asked as he dropped to the grass with a stretch and a roll of his shoulders.

“Yeah... our _guests_ have done more than ruffle just our fathers, it seems” Bucky sighed as he removed the USB cable and cast a glance at the estate and the few people he could see milling around. “I take it Tony contacted you?”

“Sure did” Clint answered swiftly, his eyes sharpening. “Why don’t you catch me up while Phil runs our baby through the car-wash?”


	11. Where's Carl... umm, I mean, Grey?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.

“Why do you keep turning me down when you don’t have a boyfriend?”

Sighing for what felt like the millionth time, his body language all but screaming that this wasn’t a good time, that he was not _not_ a fucking baby-sitter and that Jenny was a _lovely_ woman **but** he would choke her ten year old alpha son to death if he didn’t get lost within the next five seconds.

“Grey, what have I told you about sneaking down here?”

Smiling innocently, the boy continued to sit on the stairs, his blue eyes sparkling with a light that only the older omega could flush out as he winked before looking around at the hazy displays, numerous gadgets and ongoing biological experiments which bubbled and gurgled from beakers, tubes and the like.

“Is uncle Bruce not back yet?”

Scowling, his shoulders stiffening as he essentially looked from one problem (a casually reclining Loki, his static-strewn body stretched out on a crash-mat and posed in such a way that he _knew_ he was being watched) to another as the boy continued to tap his fingers on the reinforced glass of the stair he sat on.

“ _Dr Banner_ ” Tony insisted, his glare proving ridiculously ineffective. “Is on his way back with Colonel Rhodes and Agent Romanov, okay? So now that you know can’t you just...”

“My grandpa Joe always used to tell me that, if you like a femme or omega, then you should talk to them and ask them stuff to show you’re interested” the child declared sagely, his freckled cheeks fattening cutely as a smile ate up half of his face. 

“He _also_ said that you shouldn’t get deteared... deturd... de... um, give up!” he crowed whilst standing, a little fist slapping on the open palm of his other hand. “’Cus Henson’s are winners and we don’t back down without fighting for what we care about” he insisted with a nod; at first, or rather _the first time_ he heard the earnest proclamation, he’d thought it was _almost_ cute.

Now, however...

“Grey...”

“Aww! Come on Tony, please hear me out... I know I’m young...”

“...Kid, even during the Zombie Apocalypse what you’re saying is grossly, undeniably illegal... illegal and _wrong_...” 

“... but I’ll be an adult in six more years...”

“... and how many times do I have to ask your mom to keep an eye on you? You really aren’t meant to be in a place that the Hulk likes to smash around...”

“... which means that we should really start dating or at least start talking about dating now. Grandpa Joe used to say...”

To his immediate right, one of Jarvis’ silent-alarms activated, the flashing red light signalling that the surveillance feed from the gym had picked up unusual activity; carefully tuning the boy and his deranged rambling out, the omega cast a glance at the screen. 

Oh for the love of all things scientific! Was that bastard _really_ unzipping his pants and pulling out his...

“Woah! Okay Grey, that’s it, time’s up, see you later, get out, goodbye, so long, etcetera” Tony blurted whilst hastily stumbling away from the screen as though it burned him, his right hand reaching out to grab the child’s arm whilst his left covered the short alpha’s eyes. 

“Wha? Hey! No fair! Omegas’ aren’t meant to kick alphas’ off their territory when they’re proposing! That is so rude...”

“Yeah, well, sorry and all that... now scram before I feed you to walkers I keep stashed away for nefarious purposes and meddling kids” he spluttered whilst opening the blast-door and _maybe not so gently_ pushing the ten year old back into the Common Area.

“Jarvis?”

“I’m s-sorry sir” the AI responded promptly, his usually clipped tone distorting. “But Captain Roger’s insisted that the door remain-n accessible... given current circumstances...”

“Oh my God!” Tony snarled as he stormed back down and into the lab-proper. “More mother-henning? Really? Just because Loki’s here I have to be fucking watched in case I have an omega-melt-down or something? Fucking alphas and their ridiculous...”

“Sir?”

“... fucking need to bloody manage everything and treating me like I’m made of glass...”

“S-sir?”

“What?!”

“Mr Laufeyson is no longer in the gym.”

Well... fuck...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For any Walking Dead fans the whole 'Carl stay in the house'/'Lori is a terrible parent' is the inspiration for some of this exchange; I also just couldn't resist the idea of having a kid crushing on Tony.
> 
> Don't worry, people who read my work should already know that Underage is a tag I'll never use; I'm just setting up some shenanigans for later : )
> 
> Next chapter is the long awaited reunion (and yes, I know that I keep saying that BUT it's the bunnies' fault! I'm merely the messenger of their dreams and schemes!) and let's just say that Clint won't be too happy about this either.


	12. Sneaky, Snarky and... Sexy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1. 
> 
> Reunion baby : )
> 
> \+ More world building... you know what I'm like : )

Humming to himself pleasantly as he crawled through the ventilation shafts, no doubt purposefully large enough for people to access thanks to a certain blonde omega’s insistence, Loki followed his nose as the spike of shock and arousal led him towards the prize he sought.

Thankfully his advanced senses were developed to the point where he could filter out all other scents... and _Gods_ knows that there were so many others, far too many for his liking... Far more than what he’d allow once all this madness was finally put to rest and he could finally settle down with his omega, in a safe territory and begin a family, a _real_ family of his own blood...

“I thought you said that your invisible butler would effectively detain him?”

Blinking, a smirk pulling at his lips, Loki chuckled as he passed through a room where Thor was currently posturing; from the sound of the older man’s tone, he was more agitated by the questions he was being asked then the knowledge that his younger _brother_ was on the loose.

“... Jarvis is a _little_ busy keeping those freaks from wandering in here and treating this estate like an all you can eat buffet! For fuck’s sake King! I thought you guys would know better than to come here and mess around...”

Oh, well if it wasn’t his little-bird...

Taking a deep breath, the concentration of Tony’s scent let him know that his omega wasn’t on the move; therefore it couldn’t hurt to sneak a quick peek through the grate to his right, just for old time’s sake.

“I understand your concern and of course I share it” Thor breathed, his hulking form sat on an almost ridiculously over-stuffed beanbag chair. “But Loki is drawn to Tony... he doesn’t mean any...”

“Don’t you _dare_!” Clint snarled as he stood in front of the seated super-soldier. “He doesn’t _mean any harm?_ Thor! Knight tried to brain-wash me to access secured SHIELD files and he would have done the same to Tony if you hadn’t shown up when you did” he growled, his lithe form trembling in his rage. “Not that I remember too much about that time... but I _do_ remember _him_ leaving me and the other agents on more than five occasions to go on _dates_ with Tony... That bastard was leading him on, making him _believe_ he was interested in relationship whilst _fully_ knowing how he’d been ousted as an omega... And that, that is crossing the line by, like, a thousand steps too far...”

“He was not himself!” Thor cut in, his blue eyes blazing. “You speak of brain washing as though you know, as though you can compare to ten, twenty, seventy plus years of your life not being your own, of your will belonging to someone else... Is this truly what you can relate to after the two months my brother held you and your comrades?” he spat whilst standing. “Were you not treated well? Fed and clothed? Not placed in any undue danger?” he furthered, his taller body looming over the stubbornly unmoving omega, the younger man’s hands curled into fists even as his arms continued to brace across his chest.

“That’s not the point...”

“No, I believe you have made that clear” the super-soldier ground out. “You have been hurt, I know this and regardless of what you may think, it matters greatly to me that you’ve been so ill treated... and I know that you are acting in the best interest of your Shield-Brother which is something I find most commendable” he added, his fury ebbing. “This is what I do now, protect my Shield-Brother, a man who could be no more of a brother to me than if we’d shared the same mother...” he added gruffly, his face softening.

“At the time of your imprisonment, Loki and I had been able to partially break through the core-programming which Hydra had implanted... I believe that _this_ is what motivated him into taking you; he only had you steal equipment and plans capable of destroying Zemo’s legacy, did he not?”

Scowling, Clint relaxed a little himself whilst desperately trying to tune out the flash-backs which paraded before his mind’s eye like a demented merry-go-round; from his concealed position, the raven haired alpha felt his own stiffened joints loosening as he released a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

These were recollections he’d not wanted to think on and the deeper intake of air he swallowed swiftly reminded him that he had more important business to deal with and so he began his trek once more; reuniting with Clint and smoothing his ruffled feathers was going to have to be a battle for another day. 

Huffing, his ears then tuned out the rest of the conversation after he heard Thor begin his tale of _not_ being called _Winter King_ anymore; in principle, he understood why Victor preferred the leaders of his Army have code names to keep the newer recruits in line but allowing the blonde to pick his name, the _Thunderer_ no less, hadn’t been one of the patriarch’s better ideas...

“... J, I know daddy keeps yelling, and I’m sorry...”

Stopping in his tracks, Loki felt his lips quirk before quickening his pace; Anthony was less than ten feet away and, from the smell of it, completely alone... but there was a strange, repetitious banging noise flowing through the regular hum of computers and machinery...

“...Sir, I-I’m doing what I can to-o track Mr Laufeyson’s movements... however... I must also advise you that C-Colonel Rhodes, Miss Romanov and D-Dr Banner are nearing the main entrance... Dr Banner is-s no longer a Code Green...”

Halting in his tracks, the phantom pain of a huge fist smashing across his back causing the alpha to sneer, Loki crouched low as he turned a corner and stared towards the end of the shaft; it finished with a grate partially covered by a cardboard box of some kind.

“Well thank fuck for that” his omega breathed, his voice all the sweeter now it was distorted by distance. 

“Close down the Hulk enclosure for now then J... and tell Bruce to get to his cell asap; I’m sure Loki will show up sooner rather than later and I’ll just have to _deal_ when he does...” he sighed whilst said alpha inched closer, his fingers resting on the grate. 

“For now, just make sure that my Brucie Bear and his Lady Love are alright... Ugh, and tell Steve that if he slams on my lab door one more time I’ll let Bucky know that _he_ was the one who ate the last chocolate pudding cup” he added; the distant ‘booming’ sound Loki’d picked up on as he entered this shaft suddenly died.

The super-soldier smiled as his soon to be mate let out a little, sarcastic ‘whooping’ noise; he pulled himself closer and began to gently pry the grate loose with firm presses of his strong, dexterous fingers, the metal easily bending to his will.

“Okay... the Hulk’s housed, no one’s dead _yet_ , Steve has fucked off, Phil found a bunch of clean water-filters and...”

The grate gave way with a sudden and immediate _pop_.

Spinning around, his amber-gold eyes resting on the boxes corralled under his glass-stairway, Tony shook his head as something or, rather, _someone_ pushed them aside as though hundreds of pounds worth of equipment didn’t rest within them.

“You’ve got to be _fucking_ kidding me” he growled, his hand reaching for a fetching up a wrench from the workbench next to him even as Loki rose to stand, his elegant hands brushing away dust and grime from his leather-kevlar combat suit, his grin lethal.

“Anthony, you don’t call, you never write, you...”

“Unless you want a repulsor blast to that shit-eating face of yours you’ll turn around, get down and...”

“Ah, but wasn’t it _you_ whom knelt for _me_ the last time we...”

“Oh no, no, nugh-ugh, we’re not doing that weird, _flirting_ thing you like to do... Oh, and by the way, the whole touching yourself thing? Not cool! I had someone else in _here_...”

Smile disappearing, the taller of the pair felt a scowl mar his lips whilst a growl grew in his throat; now that the omega had mentioned it, he could up a trace hint of an alpha’s scent...

“Who would dare?” he asked, his tone calm and icy. “Who would want to challenge me for you? What is his name? Where can I find him? I’ll...”

“Whoa there, _stud_ ” Tony snipped, a glimmer of humour twinkling in his eyes despite himself. “First of all, I am _not_ yours... I’m a human and humans _aren’t_ things” he reminded whilst tossing the wrench from one hand to the other. “And second? The person you’re fantasising about rendering limb from limb is a ten year old kid, alright? He’s just a child with a crush for the only omega on site, that’s all” he huffed before gesturing back to the ventilation shaft.

“Now go on, get, I’ll make sure that you get pillows and food and stuff... hey, no! Stay back! Loki! Stop it, I’m serious... I... _umph_!!”

Their lips locked in time with the alpha’s arms encircling the omega’s waist...

Just as Steve, Sam and Rhodey kicked down the door.


	13. Is Three a Crowd?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Of twists, turns, plot-building... and me having had the week from hell...
> 
> Sorry lads and ladies, updating is going to be stunted for a short while since Real-Life work commitments have just become _ridiculous_...
> 
> However, with my major deadline being Friday, that should mean me having a calmer week afterwards... and just in time for Valentines...
> 
> I feel that SMUT must happen at this time : )
> 
> Thanks again for all of your comments and kudos! Your support means a lot to me! 
> 
> XD

Huffing, his body swiftly swung around and behind a furious snarling Loki, Tony could only blink and squawk indignantly when the alpha snatched his wrench and brandished it in the groups’ direction before he could truly register just _what the fuck_ was going on. 

“Oh my God _rock of ages_ , cool it, will you?” he yelped whilst Loki’s free hand whipped around to press Tony further against his back, the firmness of his hold both strange and ridiculously strong for someone so clearly double-jointed. 

“Laufeyson, stand down and move away from...”

“You’ll not thwart my efforts this time, _Captain_ ” the raven haired alpha interrupted with a sneer, his jade eyes poisonous and narrowed. “Do not think for one second that I was not aware of your intentions towards Anthony _before_ you were reunited with your match” he growled as he backed them away from the other men at the top of the staircase. “If it weren’t for James being with-child I would still believe that _my_ Anthony was still your goal” he added waspishly, his smirk razor sharp as he growled. “However, your scent is telling me that, perhaps, my fears are not unfounded... that you are _still_ interested as you were before” he hissed venomously, his shoulders stiffening whilst Steve paled slightly, his form now being scrutinised by Rhodey, Loki and Tony in quick succession as Sam rolled his eyes.

“Jesus... you damned _supreme_ alphas are even bigger dicks when you’re together, huh?” the beta commented as he carefully moved to take a step, his pheromone count low enough that it wouldn’t startle the two alphas behind him or the one below him. “Let’s just take this nice and easy, okay?” he asked, his hands raised in compliance whilst he transcended the stairs one step at the time, his face a neutral, none-threatening mask.

“Come no closer...”

“Sure, okay...” Sam stated, his leg stopping mid-step, his posture as relaxed as possible even whilst auburn eyes flickered to Tony’s fidgeting form. “But just stop and think, okay? You’re on our turf, we _let_ you come here and, regardless of you being a douchebag, no one wants to fight with you, alright? There is no beef here... not unless you decide to start something” he added calmly, his eyes momentarily locking with the omega’s. “So, you’re _not_ gonna start something, right? We can just talk things out and let Tony have some breathing space ‘cus he’s looking a little weirded out right now... you okay there, bud?”

“Oh yeah, I’m just _great_ ” Tony quipped sarcastically, his body giving an additional wriggle to display is discomfort. “The guy who screwed me and then _screwed me over_ is trying to suck me into his back and one of my closest friends may or may not have the hots for me when his _very_ pregnant mate is roaming around upstairs” he snapped, his tone peppered with displeasure. “It’s just a typical Thursday, really...”

“Tony, Bucky and I... we _both_...”

“Save it Steve” the omega cut in, his wanting to fight the hold that secured him diminishing as the day’s events began to drain his resolve. “We are going to have to talk about this _later_ but, as of right now, I want everyone who isn’t me getting the fuck out of here” he growled, his useless shoving bringing home just how fatigued he truly was. “I’m tired, _annoyed_ and just about done” he continued, the tightening of Loki’s hold making his snarl deepen. “So go on and fuck off before I have Jarvis animate my last good suit and blast you all to Zombie-chow” he finished with a firm stamp of a sneaker-clad foot on Loki’s right insole; the yowl produced was almost as gratifying as being able to pull away from the hold.

“Anthony, do not...”

“No, ahh-ahh-ahh, stay back or I’ll have you repulsored through that wall” the engineer hissed when the alpha spun on his heels and tried to approach him.

“You would have me leave you? We need to talk about the bond I started and why I didn’t finish...”

“I know exactly why you didn’t _fucking_ finish you asshole!” Tony yelled, his hands gesticulating wildly as his legs paced him back and forth before his audience. “It was an accident, a _mistake_... You only wanted me for what I could do for you, I get that, that’s what _always_ happens” he snapped. “So you got in too deep, enjoyed whatever fucked up reason you were using for _using_ me... no that it matters, it’s not like I care that you used my genius to buy your way into Doom’s army after you had your fun dismantling Hydra” he grumbled, his scent becoming so much more flustered and... saddened.

“That isn’t true, Anthony, if you’d just let me speak with you privately... let me apologise at least...”

“Hmm? Oh, well, if that’s all it’ll take to get you out of here, then fine, _swell_ ” the omega breathed lithely. “I, Anthony Edward Stark, hereby forgive you, Loki Laufeyson for _everything_... So, we good? You done? Great! The door is _that_ way” he enthused, his right hand now gesturing to the staircase and the other men in various stages of it. “Oh, and that means all of you, by the way...”

“Tony...”

“Yes, even you Rhodey-kins, I need some alpha free space... and a blow-torch to weld that grate shut” he sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly even as Clint, his pistol drawn, sprang from the vent with a smirk and a bag of Tony’s favourite beef-jerky.

“You heard the den-mother” the blonde proclaimed, his lean legs walking him over to his fellow omega, his presence causing the last of Tony’s resolve to give out as he crumpled into the one-armed hug he was being offered with a deep intake of breath that definitely _wasn’t_ a sob.

Stiffening when Clint clicked the safety off with an audible snap, Loki took one final look at Tony before crouching down to place the wrench on the floor; once done, he stood and carefully rose, turned and approached the stairs.

“This isn’t over Anthony, I will talk to you and we _will_ resolve this misunderstanding” he stated as he walked up the steps, his form not even acknowledging Sam as he strode past, his face a grim mask of determination until he reached Steve.

“I am unsure about your intentions, _Steven_ , but know that I will not tolerate you or James courting my _omega_ ” he hissed quietly, his eyes focused completely on Steve’s stern glare whilst Rhodey carefully backed away; being the filling in a supreme-alpha sandwich was _certainly_ not a good idea. Especially since he was an alpha, a mated alpha at that; this situation was at boiling point as it was and he did _not_ need a lecture from his worried mate if he returned to her with a black eye, missing teeth and a few broken bones...

“Who Tony decides to date, if he even _wants_ to date, is down to him, Loki” the broader of the pair stated firmly, his tone just as quiet. “And, out of the three of us, Tony at least knows that James and I have never hurt him, that we are only interested in _him_ ” he added, his lips daring to lift into the barest glimpse of a smirk. “You’ll have _a lot_ to prove if you’re serious... but I suppose it’s only fair to warn you since you’ve been _so kind_ as to extend _me_ the courtesy” he added, a hint of a growl trilling on the edges of his voice.

“No one will _tolerate_ you hurting him again... We don’t care about your boss, we don’t care about your brother and we _certainly_ don’t care about _you_... so just bear that in mind; the only thing that’s keeping you safe is the prospect of saving humanity and controlling the mess moaning outside” he added stiffly. 

“And I’m pretty sure that Tony and Bruce are smart enough to do those two things without your help.”


	14. I love you too...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.

Humming a lullaby that she must have picked up from somewhere, certainly not the silence haunted corridors of the _Red Room_ , Natasha continued to stroke her mate’s soft, freshly washed hair as he lazed on their bed, his weary head cushioned in her lap. 

“I should go back to the lab” a drowsy voice murmured, its tone thick with sleep.

“Shh” the former spy chided softly, her fingers delicately skittering through silky strands to trace patterns upon a warm, close to feverish scalp. “You need to rest now... the Other Guy has swept away the majority of the hoard we were so worried about last week and Steve has Thor, his friends and our community well handled” she reasoned gently, her tone soothing. “You’ll be no good to anyone without your rest...”

“But Tony’s been picking up my slack... I need to...”

“Bruce... please” the femme cut in, her eyes closing even as her voice cracked. “I need you... I want...” she breathed, a tremor rippling across her shoulders; the gesture was subtle, her words whisper-quiet but, for Bruce, his reaction was immediate.

Sitting up, arms that could morph into a pallid-green and crush throngs of undead monsters gently enveloped the woman who sat upon the clean, grey sheets of their king-sized bed; heart-broken at her silent tears, he shed remorse of his own and pulled her to himself.

“I love you, I’m sorry, I _love_ you Nat... Nat... I...”

“Dr Banner, Agent Romanov, I-I am s-s-orry to disturb you” Jarvis intoned politely, his interruption pulling every last shred of previously shown vulnerability back under the spy’s iron-clad exterior, her body tightening even as Bruce sighed, the opportunity lost.

“However, a s-silent alarm has been triggered in your suite... since you have a-advanced privacy setting-s I c-cannot access the CCTV in your i-immediate area” the AI informed through the speakers in their bedroom’s ceiling, his voice a mix of static and concern. “S-should I s-send assistance?”

“There’s no need, Jarvis” the femme responded swiftly, her agile frame already bending to retrieve a set of concealed pistols from under the mattress as Bruce stood, the fingers of his right hand rubbing at red-strained eyes. “You need to stay here and breath” she directed at her mate, her eyes narrowed and cool as limber legs carried her to their closed and locked door; they were in an apartment separate to the main building and facing the most exposed and vulnerable part of the estate. Therefore every precaution had to be taken to ensure their safety; sadly, it wasn’t just the _dead_ who feared and attacked Bruce... several _former_ members of the survival group they’d amassed had proved that.

“Shouldn’t I make my way out, just in case?” the scientist questioned softly, his shoulders slumped at the thought of another altercation and so soon after the zombie-virus had spurred him into the Hulk in his new, even more grotesque form.

“No, you...”

The door-knob began to jiggle.

Frowning, Natasha trained her pistols on the room’s only external entryway, the balcony directly to her left clear just in case they needed a swift exit whilst the door rumbled in its jamb. 

“Who’s there?” the male called, his words causing the femme to snort; not that the noise mattered, she supposed. If the undead were out there then they’d already have been drawn in for whatever reason...

“Oh _shit_!!”

Blinking, the assassin snarled, her left hand pocketing the pistol she held in her housecoat pocket as stormed towards the door and nearly tore it from its hinges. Behind her, she chose to ignore the startled laughter of her mate whilst pointing the gun she still held at the three, now close-to-pissing-themselves kids bewilderedly gawking in the corridor.

“Oh shit! Oh shit! Please! Please don’t shoot us Mrs Banner!” the tallest of the bunch squealed, his hands raised and trembling whilst the third boy, who’d all but collapsed on the floor, stared up at her and the second tried to restrain his startled sobs. “We didn’t know you were back! Honest! We just wanted to see... we were dared to... we _weren’t_ going to... Ahh! No! Please!” he wailed, his sheet-white face blanching further when she pointed the business end of her weapon directly at his forehead.

“What have you been told about coming here?” she whispered dangerously as she advanced, her eyes narrowed venomously. 

“I... I... _we_...”

“You **know** that those _things_ are drawn here by my mate, you know that we choose to live here to keep you and your families’ safe!” she roared, their smaller forms scurrying and scrambling at her feet. 

“Nat... come on, it’s okay, they were only playing...”

“ **Playing?!** ” the enraged femme howled. “Fucking _playing_? This isn’t a game, this is our life now! My life, your life, _theirs_ if I choose to let them live” she ground out through bared teeth, her composure lost. 

“Oh ma’am please don’t shoot me! Please! Please! My mama hasn’t got anyone else” the smallest boy still quaking on the floor sobbed. “I-I didn’t even want to come here! J.D. said he’d... he’d feed my ra-abbit to the walkers-s-s if I didn’t...” he whimpered, the name causing Nat to pause whilst Bruce carefully approached, a gentle hand reaching her shoulder and softly squeezing it.

“You guys run along, alright?” he said, his head gesturing to the long, reinforced corridor and the staircase that began it. “And be careful on your way back... it’s starting to get late.”

Nodding, sniffling and pulling themselves together, all three betas scuttled back the way they’d come, the plastic bag the eldest had been carrying, no doubt to hide the item they’d intended to steal as proof that they’d been _brave_ enough to go into the _Zombie-monster’s_ room, falling to the carpeted floor. 

“That little piece of alpha-trash is nothing but trouble” the femme fumed, her gaze following each boy in turn in their retreat. 

“Well, he is Blakely’s son” the scientist quipped whilst slowly pulling her back into the room. “Come on, let’s get dressed and go over to the House” he sighed, the adrenaline have drained his flesh back to a healthy flesh colour... even around the bite-mark peeping out between his right pyjama pant leg and slipper. “We can address that little snot’s antics with his idol watching” he reminded, a smile quipping his lips as Natasha huffed out a small laugh.

“And we all know how much Steve hates bullies” she mused, the cold, threatening aura she’d been exhibiting slowly seeping into the ether as they embraced and shared a kiss.

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... I'm a sucker for Bruce/Nat... it's one of the only het couples I really enjoy.
> 
> We're back with Clint, Tony and Phil next chapter and, since it has been asked for by a lovely commenter... more Steve/Bucky on the way...
> 
> Why not have a little pre-meeting nookie? I should imagine letting your mate know that your shared love-interest is now aware of the situation could make for some _interesting_ , smut based chat!
> 
> XD


	15. The Tony Whisperer...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Thanks again to everyone who is supporting this fic; I will respond to your comments this weekend as I haven't had the time to personally thank you guys yet! : )
> 
> STUCKY next chapter!

Luring the only un-mated omega out of his precious sub-lab was never easy but, luckily for all concerned, Phil Coulson was something of a _Tony whisperer_ in that he could convince the omega do things that were in his best interest; no one knew from where this power stemmed but everyone was grateful for it. 

“So you’re saying that you _don’t_ want me at the... the meeting?” the genius yawned, his eyes already closed as he sank further into the giant bean-bag that he and Clint were cuddling in, his head pillowed on the younger omega’s chest

“No” Phil clarified, his form standing directly before the lightly dozing pair as he straightened his tie and smoothed the lapels of his blazer, a hint of the Agent he once was flickering over him; it was strange and, sometimes, upsetting the reflect on his past self, of who he used to be, who _they_ used to be. However, Phil was a man of the future and, as official as he felt in this old vestige of his former life, he knew it to be only for show, a way for the still shell-shocked community they’d created to feel safe, to believe that their old way of life could be found again. 

“But...”

“No, I’m not saying that I don’t want you to go, Tony, I just think it would be better if you stayed here and got some rest” he furthered, his eyes growing more fond when he realised that his mate had already dosed off, the presence of another omega easing him like nothing else, not even a mate, could. 

“Actually... I’m not sure that I’ve got much of a... a choice” the genius commented through another yawn, his amber eyes blearily regarding the expanse of dark-purple Kevlar he was resting on. “I think your future baby-mama has already left us for dream land” he added with a sleepy grin before turning his gaze towards Phil, his brow furrowing. “Did you hear about what Loki said... you know, the whole thing with Steve and Bucky?” he asked, his tone thick with fatigue and confusion. 

“Yes... Rhodey told me when he asked me to bring you up” the older man replied, his smile dipping into a frown. “I wanted to speak to you about it later, after you’d slept and had a chance to process everything” he added, his knees bending him into a crouch, their eyes locking.

“Are you alright?” (“ _What do you want me to do?_ ”)

“Yeah, I’m... I’m fine...” ( _“I don’t know! This is so fucked up and I’m not sure what to do or even think about this!”_ )

“Of course you are...” ( _“Calm yourself down; this isn’t anything that you can’t handle...”_ ) the alpha murmured warmly, his smile returning. “But we’ll talk about everything later, alright?” ( _“We’re not finished talking about this and I will find a way to help you; now go to sleep._ ”)

“Alright.” ( _“Thanks Phil...”_ )

Giving the omega’s knee a fond squeeze, Phil stood and then stooped over his sleeping mate, his lips depositing a gentle kiss on the blonde’s forehead before he straightened and began walking out of his suite. With it being one of the bedrooms closest to the large house’s centre, he was relatively assured of their safety as he left but he still checked the door, the corridors and the vent grates as he strolled the relatively short distance to the Common Room. He found himself praising Tony’s architect again as he rounded the final corner and joined the masses; if the rooms weren’t sound-proofed then no one would be able to rest.

“Ah! Son of Coul! Well met!” 

Keeping his face pleasantly neutral, Phil accepted the hand that was offered him, his head nodding slightly as it was clasped by the super-soldier and given a **firm** shake before being bodily drawn into one of the tactile warriors bear-hugs.

“It’s good to see you too _Dr Blake_ ” he offered, his tone warmer than what it’d usually be when confronting a former enemy, turned friend, turned _unknown_ but that had been the nature of his job, hell, his life for too long now and so he eased into the situation like a Mallard on a lake.

“Ah, yes, what a time we had before all of this _true_ madness started, hmm?” the bearded warrior asked, his blue eyes sparkling with mirth and pleasure; he was, to this day, the _strangest_ assassin Phil had ever met. “Now please, allow me to introduce you to my fair companions... you are, umm, familiar with my brother, of course...”

“Oh yeah...” Phil replied casually, his sharp gaze narrowing on the slender, raven-haired alpha who reclined demurely against the wall that curved around the entrance he and Thor were standing before. As their eyes locked, his lips pricked into the smile he usually reserved for those unfortunate enough to be uncooperative during an interrogation. “We’ve been intimately acquainted thanks to a dagger and a mind-controlling collar... so you’d do well to keep a close eye on him, Thor, the dead might be more dangerous than the living right now, but there is certainly enough of us here who wouldn’t mind adding him to their number.”

Blinking, his eyes clouding momentarily as he released the shorter alpha, the blonde offered a serious nod before coughing into his right fist. “Ah, yes, I am aware... but, hah, come... come meet my Jane and our youngest companion Darcey...”

“Not before you give me your word, Thor” Phil interjected, his form unmoving regardless of the strong hand warmly gripping his shoulder.

“My word?”

“Yes” the Agent said, his eyes flicking to Loki; the jade-eyed super-soldier smirked and wiggled his fingers in a mocking wave, his lips barely twitching when stoic-faced Rhodey glared at him and went to slap the fingers away; it looked as though Tony’s oldest friend had appointed himself ‘Official Loki Watcher.’

“I want you to swear to me, on your honour, that you’re here for the reasons you’ve claimed and...” he stated, his voice levelling out to a dangerous whisper: “that you’ll stop him if he needs to be stopped.”

Frowning, his brows furrowing in confusion, Thor moved so that he and Phil were closer to the corridor than the bustling room they’d almost entered. 

“I understand what it is that you say and yes, you have _my word_ that I will prevent Loki from causing any undue harm, not that I believe he will cause any... his mind is, while not fully healed, far more stable than he was during our time together” he promised, a thick coating of pride layering his tone. 

“However” he continued gravely, his shoulders setting. “I will say unto you what I said to your mate” he announced, a brief, harsh snap of electrical energy dancing across arms which were tightly folded across a muscle corded chest. “Should Loki wish to continue his pursuit of our friend Tony’s heart, then I shall not stop him... Nay, I will strive to help him in that instance and in any way that I can so long as the omega isn’t harmed and my brother courts him in an appropriate and respectful manner” he continued, his frown deepening when Phil went to protest. “Peace, I have not finished” he stated, his voice firm. “This is _not_ to say that I shan't intervene should Tony wish it... but the words must be from _his_ lips; do not think me blind or deaf to Loki’s faults and do not think me ignorant of his past actions, Phil... However, what is past is past and should they be able to rekindle the happiness I knew that they shared, well, what could be better?”

“Thor...”

“ _Phil_ , please, you’ve asked for my word and you have it; have I ever given you reason to distrust me? Not even from the very start when it was _you_ whom I approached to help my brothers and sisters when my mind was clearing? Did I not give you all that Hydra had to offer even _after_ we chose to leave with Victor once the battle was won?”

Frowning minutely, Phil huffed but begrudgingly relaxed his posture, his scent calming and, in turn, helping to soothe the stronger male he wasn’t looming quite as much anymore.

“We are friends, Phil.”

“Yes, yes we are” the Agent said, not an ounce of hesitation marring his tone. “Just do me a favour and remind me of that when the shit hits the fan...”


	16. The Alpha Couple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> **Explicit Sexual Context Ahoy**
> 
> STUCKY Smut as promised!

Breaking the slow, heated kiss he’d been pulled into, Steve smiled dazedly, his left hand securing his mate’s hip against his whilst the right continued to keep the cupboard door firmly closed, just in case.

“Well... that wasn’t the reaction I was expecting...”

“You making a move this early and _not_ including me wasn’t what I was expecting either, Stevie” Bucky returned, his kiss-reddened lips pulling into a predatory smirk. “Didn’t think you had the balls...”

“Hey now” the blonde stuttered, his flushed cheeks darkening. “I think that our son is proof enough of my... you know...”

Chuckling, Bucky leaned in to steal another quick kiss, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “Oh, I dunno Stevie... maybe I need to be reminded” he purred, the fingers of his metal hand moving to brush against the erection straining against the corduroy of his mate’s pants. “Say... we got a good half an hour before the meeting starts, right?” he asked whilst palming the significant growth he felt building, mischievous blue eyes locking with lust coated azure. 

“Bucky...”

“Come-on doll, you can’t just blurt out that you’ve all but invited Tony to be the meat in our mated sandwich and **not** expect me to just, I don’ know, get a little... _excited_...”

Steve grunted, their eye contact lost when a particularly sensual squeeze had his eyes roll to the back of his skull, a muted groan passing through parted lips.

“We’re in the maintenance room ten feet away from the... from the Common Room...” he ground out, the hand on the brunette’s hip tightening its hold. 

“Mmm... but it’d be kinda’ embarrassing if, you know, you were to stand up in front of all them folks with not-so-little-Steve standing right up there with you, huh...” the omega teased, the tension he’d felt since their early afternoon guests arrived evaporating as he scented his alpha and exposed the right side of his neck. “Maybe I ought to remind myself of your, umm, equipment and thank you properly for getting the, ugh _ball rolling_ ” he cooed whilst sinking to his knees, his smirk transforming into a smile on the way down. 

“Don’t get your hopes up, Buck” the alpha breathed, his eyes closing when the zipper of his pants was gently eased down, the two buttons popped and a very eager, warm-fleshed hand carefully removing his straining member from the restricting confines of his cotton boxers. “Tony didn’t seem all that keen on the... ohh... uhh, God Buck...”

Grinning, the omega continued to massage the reddened tip between a strong, clever index finger and thumb before flicking his tongue to capture the pearl of pre-cum beading at the tip he was manipulating: “no hopes raised, I promise” he purred. “But a guy can dream, can’t he?”

“Umm... please... no more teasing...”

“Imagine if he was here, now, kneeling with me...” the brunette hummed whilst cool metal danced across the pulsing shaft.

“ _Bucky_...”

“Oh yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Two omegas fawning at your feet, gettin’ you off...” he furthered before grabbing the shaft and giving it s firm squeeze; Steve’s reaction was as immediate as it was loud, his face flushing with need and embarrassment as he strained to hear if anyone was directly outside the door, a frown marring his features as he looked down at his impish mate.

“We’re going to get caught...”

“And so what if we are?” the younger male challenged before lapping at the head he held, metal fingers now more carefully kneading the throbbing flesh it’d caught. “We’re the alpha couple of this pack (“Buck... you shouldn’t... ah... use that word anymore... people don’t...”) and I’m five months pregnant, horny as hell and in need of my mate to reassure me now that strangers are lurking around...”

“Thor says that you’re his brother...”

“ _Strangers_ who may not be armed but still pose a great deal of danger and...” he gritted out, Thor’s name and their shared history threatening to dull his mood. “One of them is trying to lay a claim on what’s ours...”

Steve growled despite himself, the back of his head slamming into the door when his mate’s flesh hand stopped its ministrations and moved to gently cup and fondle his sack.

“God... I love it when you talk like that...”

“Heh... well, I wasn’t always an omega now, was I?”

“Bucky...”

“No, no, Stevie... we’re not going _there_ right now” the former assassin insisted, his tone losing its teasing edge as he leaned forward, licking his lips as he did so: “now hold on to your profanity, punk” he warned cockily before offering a swift lick and a wink. 

“This is gonna get loud and _messy_ ”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short... work has been crazy this week... : (


	17. Shots Fired...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.

“Ooh... someone looks cagey.”

Ignoring Darcey Lewis had, in Loki’s experience, more to do with Hydra torture than anything else he’d come to know after being liberated from said organisation.

“Is it because there’s like, a gazillion people here?”

“Hey, Miss Lewis, could you do me a favour and _not_ further antagonise the guy?” James Rhodes asked from Loki’s right, his stiff back seemingly supporting the wall whilst keen, auburn eyes flicked from face to face, entrance to exit before resuming their glare at the Super-Soldier besides him.

“Or is it because you made googly eyes at Tony and didn’t get any further?” the femme continued, her face and tone suggesting that, if she did in fact hear the Colonel, she was choosing to ignore him for the greater purpose of annoying the alpha she all but lived to tease.

“Are you kidding me right now?!”

“Uh-oh, looks like the broodiness is catching” the young woman chimed in, her eyes finally meeting Rhodey’s as they leaned forward to observe each other over Loki’s nonplussed form. 

“Miss Lewis...”

“ _Darcey_ , or Darce, I don’t really mind...”

“ **Darcey** , would you mind going somewhere else for a bit? Isn’t Mrs Odinson by herself since Phil is chatting with Thor? Surely you should...”

“Oh I wouldn’t be worrying yourself about Jane, soldier-boy, she’s perfectly fine... Hell, from what I can see she’s making great friends with your mate” the young woman replied offhandedly, her glance flicking over the alpha before a sly grin crossed her face. “And speaking of which, way-to-go, man, she is like, so out of your league it’s not even funny” she added conversationally, a laugh bubbling up her throat when the former soldier gaped at her in response. “Yep... I guess anything is possible in the Zombie Apocalypse, huh?” she added before making little shooing motions with her hands. “Now, before I fire off more shots or decide to go and say _hi_ to your mate in my own **special** way, why don’t _you_ go somewhere else for a bit?”

Scowling, the alpha resisted the urge to retort and merely departed with a look which swore bloody vengeance should either of them try anything; chuckling at his retreating back, the alpha's legs speeding him through the crowd and toward the large, community kitchen, Loki regarded the girl with an expression that was almost as fond as it was long suffering.

“Thank you, Lewis.”

“You’re welcome, snow-drop” the femme replied, her elbow nudging into the assassin’s side as she flicked her grin up at him. “Can’t be nice being cock-blocked left, right and centre” she admitted with a shrug before stretching, her eyes now following Thor as he led the scarily-neutral man to the same area Rhodes had just stomped towards, the eyes of over thirty people following them as they went.

“Huh... now that the _monster_ and his mate are drawing attention over there and old thunder-struck is making the locals all kinds of nervous over here...” she began slowly, a hint of mischief lacing her tone as she checked the corridor Loki seemed to be fixated on. “Well... if there ever was a time where you could oh, I don’t know, sneak around unnoticed, I think this would be it” she advised sagely, her arms loosely folding as she slouched and slumped down the wall to sit on the once richly carpeted floor. 

“I do believe you’re right” the raven-haired alpha confirmed, his strangely detached demeanour only betrayed by the sliver of a smirk breaking through. “Yes... and it would seem that the good Captain and our youngest _brother_ are still busy down the hall...” he mused with a stretch before standing, his form already starting to shimmer and dissipate. “I trust that I can leave the rest in your capable hands?”

“You know it, boss” the femme answered pleasantly, her deft fingers slipping the hot-pink air-buds they’d fished from her coat pocket up and into her ears, the figure of Loki now completely vanished amidst the din of the room. “Just don’t get yourself into any kind of trouble which will lead back to me and we’re solid” she added to the space where her associate’s mental projection had been loitering, her fingers now flying over the surface of her Stark-Pod.

Huh, wouldn’t it be nice if Loki repaid her in his soon-to-be mate’s tech?

She grinned, her favourite “My Chemical Romance” track thrumming away as she casually observed the room, her keen gaze easily reading the lips of the distracted masses who continued to mumble and murmur in their little cliques around the various coffee-tables, bean-bag chairs and the like.

It was strange to think that so many civilians were still alive, that there were still children running around, playing games and pulling pig-tails; it made her a little uneasy after so much time spent in the adult-femme conclave of Victor’s _New_ Latvaria. It also made her long for days gone by, days she knew would be lost if this final gambit of her leader’s were to fall short...

She shuddered, her eyes quickly snapping to the exit the cloaked super-soldier had sneaked through only moments ago, her gaze narrowing when a dishevelled looking Steve Rogers strode into the room, his right arm hugging his mate’s waist as the flock of sheep they’d sheltered turned to them, their worried murmurs turning to bleats of welcome and thanks.

How in the world had these people lasted so long?

“Oh Captain Rogers, finally! Please, please come this way... we’ve set up the stand for you” a balding simpleton called, a smug half-pint of an alpha hanging at his side whilst their leaders we’re steered to the centre of the room.

Were the so called _Avengers_ Thor had bragged about really as amazing as he’d claimed?

“You must let the Council have their say, you know?”

Could it be that some of the past could really survive in this nightmarish reality?

“Of course, Mr Blakely, now... if you’ll excuse me...”

Could they really pull this off?


	18. The Dominators and the Dominated...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Just a quickie here folks : )
> 
> Cliff-hangers are such fun, aren't they?
> 
> XD

Screaming was something the majority of _living_ people had tried to subdue these days; it drew unnecessary attention from other people who may be scavenging in the area, made you sound weak and also interested and allured the dead.

However, in this instance, Tony thought his manly yell of terror was completely and utterly justified.

“Now, now, Anthony... the time for screaming should _come_ later” Loki chided with a smirk as he lounged, almost _harmlessly_ next to him on the giant bean-bag he was sharing with a gentle snoring Clint. A gently snoring Clint with a slightly raised, mosquito-like puncture on his neck...

“Oh my God! You bastard! You _fucking_ asshole! If you’ve hurt him I’ll...”

“Ah, how I’ve missed these little moods of yours, rabbit” the alpha cooed, his smirk sharpening when the omega finally noticed that his wrists and ankles had been zip-tied together.

“ _You_!”

“Yes, me” Loki interrupted, his eyes sparkling with mirth as the shorter man struggled and wiggled. “And Anthony, must you wound me so? Harm young Clinton? Perish the thought” he mocked whilst snuggling into the pliant surface of the purple furniture they occupied. “I merely wanted some time to chat whilst the serum I gave _you_ starts taking effect...”

“The hell!?” Tony yelped, his head turning this way and that in a desperate attempt to, if not _see_ a needle mark then to feel for one; the soreness blooming into a gnawing irritation. “Loki, what the fuck have you done?” 

Chuckling, his right hand reaching out to brush the strands of longer hair curling on the inventor’s forehead as he tried to struggle away, Loki met startled amber eyes with a cool precision; the other, slumbering omega, was turning out to be very _useful_ in corralling in his quarry.

“One of the most _wonderful_ things about the battle-suit you designed for me, dear-heart, is its ability to hide small, peculiar items such a range of pre-loaded micro-darts” he began leisurely, his hand now moving to clasp the other man’s bicep as he attempted to shimmy down the bean-bag. “So don’t feel _too_ bad that you were unable to prevent what’s about to happen... I’m sure that, given time, you’ll come to see that what I’ve done or, rather, what I’m _going_ to do is for the best” he smiled.

Scowling, Tony narrowed his eyes into a glare: “what happened to wanting a second chance, to talking things through?” he ground out, a strange feeling creeping up the back of his neck and chasing down his spine.

Letting his smile drop momentarily, Loki leaned a little further into the cushion they shared, his fingers now gently kneading the other’s arm as sweat started to pepper his brow.

“Can you blame me for acting so soon given my competition...”

“This isn’t a game, you prick, I’m not a trophy at the end of some alpha-based finish line...”

“Ah, but in this instance, my dear, you’re quite wrong” the alpha sighed, his keen observational skills picking up on the labouring of his soon-to-be mate’s breathing. “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, secreted away in your little _ivory-tower_ , that the _modern_ civilisations you clung to are no longer functioning, no longer valid...” he said carefully whilst leaning in a little closer. “This is _very_ much a game where living and survival are one in the same, where, outside of the _dead_ the only players are the dominators and the dominated” he growled, his eyes growing deadly with their seriousness.

“S-so, what? I’m to-be... _dominated_... i-s-s that it? I'm j-just a f-fuck toy to you-u?” the omega hissed out between breaths, his struggles turning into shudders as whatever the alpha had injected him with tormented his nervous system.

“Of course not.”

Blinking, Tony struggled to focus on the man leaning further into his personal space: “wha? I... don’t...”

“Anthony... I consider you to be my partner and equal in _every_ sense” the raven-haired male said softly, their faces bear inches apart.

“I just need to make some, uh, _adjustments_ to ensure that your body and our children can meet that same standard...”


	19. Never be Optimistic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The plot thickens; we'll be back with our boys soon though : )
> 
> Again, as one comment very helpfully reminded me, I have used the EXPLICIT TAG for a reason; this isn't just sex/language/etc.
> 
> Please be advised that this tag means that anyone with triggers should be careful/always read with caution. However, should any of you awesome folks read something and go "woah, that needs tagging" then please let me know!
> 
> : )

Regarding the community and their newest guests with the long practised stance of a man who’d been a _dancing-monkey_ decades before donning the mantle of an Avenger, Steve Rogers cleared his throat to gain their attention, his mate’s calming presence beside him bringing a small smile to his lips.

“Good evening” he addressed warmly. “I know that we have a lot more to discuss this evening than the standard, weekly update, so I’ll cut right to the chase” he continued whilst indicating Thor; at the signal, the supreme alpha stood from his perch upon the armrest of the couch Jane, Pepper and Rhodey occupied. 

“This is Thor Odinson and many of you may recognise him from media footage of the Demonic Wars that ravaged New York before the current out-break of this virus” he added when several discordant alphas and dubious betas started murmuring amongst themselves. “He and his companions have travelled a long way to ask us for our help...”

“What?!” several people coursed whilst the _mild-mannered_ figure of Blakely rose, his pale eyes narrowed in derision. “Captain Rogers, with respect, are _we_ in any position to be helping foreign nationals when we’re in such dire straits ourselves?” he simpered demurely, his words causing a chorus of agreement which had Thor scowling and the slouching Dracey rolling her eyes.

“Mr Blakely...”

“Now, now, Captain, you see here” the balding alpha countered, his arms stretching out. “I am the representative of the community at large and we have the right to protest...”

“Hah! What is there to protest when you will not listen to our proposition?” Thor cut in loudly, his scent heightened and spiked by his annoyance which served to quiet those nearest to him. “You may be a representative _but_ it is Steven who leads you, yes? Allow him to talk, let us at least speak when all information has been shared” he added with a huff, his muscle corded arms folding. 

“I...”

“So...” Steve hurried on, his blue eyes lingering gratefully upon the man he’d once worked with to save the world. “The _help_ Mr Odinson and, by extension, his employer Victor von Doom...”

Another rumble of discontent washed through the expansive room.

“... mainly comes from myself and the Avengers” he stated before giving a nod to Jarvis’ closest wall-sensor; sure, it had been a risk to divert all of the AI’s substantial skill to generate a presentation _but_ , if it served to keep the majority calm then, since it had been agreed by Tony, that’s what they had to do.

Smiling faintly as the blue holo-screen appearing before him expanded, Steve stepped around it, his eyes watching as a world map appeared and then zeroed in the former Island nation of Genosha.

“This is our ultimate objective” the blonde supreme alpha stated calmly whilst the image was magnified a further three times. “Doom’s facilities in Latvaria are able to run using far more energy than ours... so much so that he and his people may be the only ones currently capable of communicating with satellites” he continued as Jarvis accessed the data chip Jane had provided earlier.

“As you can see” he furthered, his arm waving to the aerial image of a huge complex. “The area appears deserted although, given that the corpses don’t emit a thermal signature, it’s difficult to be certain” he continued, his hand swiftly circling a large court-yard. “According to Doom’s people, there is a research lab buried a few hundred feet below the surface and, if they’re right, this is where the virus originated” he said grimly.

“Impossible!” an alpha near the back, a former member of Shield and one of their key contacts with a still globally-roaming Fury, called. “We had agents deep under-cover in Genosha and never _once_ did they report that Mr Sinister was meddling in biological war-fare” he said through a snort, his dark eyes narrowed whilst he pointed to Jane and Thor. “I smell bullshit here, Captain, bullshit in the form of _Doom’s_ little brain-washed crew there... Why, hell, how do we know that the virus wasn’t a product of whatever stuff he was doing with those demonic creatures that went missing?” he sneered, his stance and manner unperturbed by the thunderous glare that the supreme alpha sent his ways. “Doesn’t this whole _Genosha_ thing sound like a trap to you? What if Doom purposefully let this plague loose? You and the Avengers are some of the only people who could stand in his way of complete, global domination...”

“Even Doom sees no point in ruling a kingdom of ash and death.”

At the panic which engulfed the room, Steve pinched the bridge of his nose and offered a silent prayer to a God he still believed in as Rhodey, Bucky and a selection of other alphas moved to calm and settle the rest as they gazed and shouted at the digital-apparition of Doom, his metal face looming next to the map.

He knew he shouldn’t have approached this meeting so optimistically...


	20. A Step too Far...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Whoo.... sorry about the delay guys!
> 
> I will NEVER give up on a story! I just has a lot to do!
> 
> Enjoy! 
> 
> : )

“Gwah!”

“Woah! Tony! _What the hell_?!”

Yelping as they tumbled to the floor in a heap of limbs, panic and sleep-hazed sluggishness, the two omegas grunted and struggled to right themselves upon the carpet as Tony continued to look around and rub his neck whilst Clint tried to regain his balance.

“Jesus! Are you alright? What’re you looking around like that fo-umph!”

“Shh... he’s probably still in your rooms...”

“Whaff?”

Scowling angrily, his body now piled atop of the blonde as he kept his hand over the younger man’s mouth, Tony allowed the laser focus of his gaze to shift from doors, to vents, to larger pieces of furniture before Clint (either due to irritation, boredom or discomfort) easily jolted him off and onto the floor.

“Hey! Wait...”

“Tony, I love you man, but you’re acting like a crazy person” he grumbled as he sat up, his nose delicately sniffing the air whilst his own eyes flitted about: “now, seriously, what’s got you so wigged out? You haven’t had a nightmare this bad in a whil-ah! My neck! The fuck?”

“It’s gone...” Tony breathed, his grabbing hands slapped away by the scowling archer. “But... it was there... he _was_ here...” the olive skinned genius breathed out, his hands still within the clutch of the other man. 

“Tony?”

“Loki was here Clint... he knocked you out, he injected us _both_ with something...” 

“He what? But... shit, Tony, I don’t smell him” the blonde replied, his annoyance now replaced by worry and suspicion whilst cracking his neck; “I don’t feel anything wrong... Jarvis? You there?”

At the silence which greeted them, Tony sighed: “Steve’s little pep-talk with Doom’s toys must be in full swing” he reasoned quietly, his eyes screwing shut. “Shit... I’m sorry... maybe I _was_ just having an episode or something” he added, his freed fingers running along his own neck and finding no change, not even an ache.

Frowning a little, the murderous-intent he felt for the Winter Knight spiking dramatically, Cling hunkered next to the slightly shorter man, their backs pressing into the purple bean-bag as they stared into the otherwise unoccupied room.

“Hey... stop beating yourself up, alright? Enough shit was hitting the fan _before_ that bastard bulldozed back into our lives...” he argued, his right shoulder nudging against the inventor’s. “Now come on, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt here... if you’re right and this _happened_ , run through what he did _exactly_ ” he urged, his words causing Tony to huff gratefully.

“Alright... just promise me that, if you’re going to go on one of your ass-kicking rampages that I can either join in or watch, okay?”

“Heh... you got it” he assured before, with a little stretch, he rose to his feet and offered the other a hand-up.

“Now let’s go see what all the fuss is about and you can tell me on the way” he advised coolly, his right hand snatching up his bow (and swiftly shouldering it) and a loaded 9mm. pistol which snugly holstered itself in his ever more tightening belt from the small, round dining table just behind their former perch.

“Didn’t Steve say _no_ weaponry in the Common Room?” Tony asked with a smirk, his previous mood lightening.

“Meh... Steve says _a lot_ of things... a pair of bad-ass omegas like us, well, I’m sure it’s fine if we take are illustrious leader’s words as _suggestions_ more so than _actual_ orders” the blonde returned with a care-free shrug and a wink.

“So...” he continued as he led the chuckling Tony to the door; it was unlocked...

“What the fuck?” he whispered.

“Clint?”

Stepping slightly to the side, his lax hand gesturing, the archer felt the prickle of fear ignite from his heated neck to a torrent of rage cascading into his stomach; that fucker had been in his room, fucking with his body, his _friend_ **again**!

“I’m going to fucking kill him!” he snarled, his body moving through the door and sprinting down the hall at speed, his ears deaf to Tony yelling after him...

This time that bastard had gone _too_ far!


	21. Aftermath...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
> 
> Wow... the last time I updated this baby was the 10th of June...  
> ...  
> ...  
> ...
> 
> I **will** be updating more regularly guys!

“As you can see” Doom drawled, his mask-covered face made even more eerie by the stuttering static of the hologram; “our scanners have traced the mutated virus to what we believe to be its origin... how it left the laboratory or the island is still a mystery, however, it doesn’t take a genius to understand that our best hopes of synthesising a vaccine will come from the research and DNA samples located here.” 

“So what Thor said about you wanting to recruit us for a mission was true” Steve stated, his stature every inch the imposing Captain he’d once posed as for the WWII propaganda posters. “Even so, _Doctor_ , you can’t offer us any guarantee of success or that the data you suppose is there is viable or usable...”

“But is that not where your resident, _genius_ -hen comes into play, _Captain_ ” the Latverian said, his tone imperious even through the static of the dimming images which displayed him. “Mr Stark is adapt at breaking encryption codes... and his scent, along with your two pet-assassins, should be enough to entice the dead to herd... especially with that lethal mate of yours swelling with your _get_...”

“The _fuck_ did you just say?!” 

“My Lord Doom, there is no need to...”

“You side with him and you side against me, _King_ ” Bucky snapped, his glare caustic. “I hear one more word that I don’t like and I’ll be throwing you and your _boss_ out on your asses” he stated coldly, his face becoming eerily neutral in the muted light and silence of the expansive chamber.

Huffing through his mask, the green robed hologram raised a hand, the gun-metal of his mask glinting as he readjusted himself within the large, pilot’s chair he sat in: “Doom forgets himself” he admitted, his tone the closest it would ever come to apologetic. “The flight has been long and we’re still four days away from your position; in the extensive sufferance of this plague even the nerves of Doom have frayed... and it is not in the best interest of his people to allow petty words to threaten what could be the winning strategy in our game of survival” he added carefully.

“That being said” Steve commented grimly: “I will not tolerate anymore disrespectful talk directed at my team or my mate, from _anyone_ ” he added, his face stern. “However, I do agree that Genosha is worth investigating but the decision isn’t mine to make” he continued whilst looking around at the majority of the heroes once known as The Avengers. “We will think about your proposal and we’ll welcome you and your crew when you arrive so long as...”

“ **Loki! Where are you, you mother-fucker?!** ”

Whilst a sea of gasps and angry, motherly-worried muttering rippled throughout the gathered community of survivors, the alphas of the room snapped their heads towards the seething omega who had just stormed through the archway with two _extremely_ sharp daggers clutched in his gloved fists.

Blinking, his legs stuttering from the back-lash of emotions coursing through his mate, Phil was moving to intercept him before he realised what was happening; Thor was standing, Rhodey was yelling and Steve was ordering the civilians to remain still as the impassive face of Doom looked on.

“Clint! Put those knives back in their sheaths and talk to me before someone gets hurt, you’re...”

“Where is that bastard?! I’m going to gut him and feed him to the freaks outside...”

“Friend Clint, please, you’re not being reasonable...”

“He’s right, that son of a bitch isn’t here...”

“Darcy, wasn’t he with you just now, he...”

“Huh? What’s going, my tunes...”

“Blakely, sit your ass down...”

“Captain, control your...”

“Bruce, stay calm...”

“ **Loki!** ”

The sound of Jarvis’ perimeter alarm sounding, its presence dimming Doom to the point where he resembled a spectre haunting the darkened back-drop of the room, the group of yelling adults stopped in their tracks.

“ _S-sir’s... sir’s... un-auth-oris-ed-ed... u-use... of-f-f... fl-ight... dec-k-k-k... in-n-n... pro-gr-ess-s-s...”_

“What, that’s impossible” Rhodey breathed, his eyes widening as Pepper baulked in shock: “no one can even get close to the hangar without Tony’s retinal scan, they...”

“ _Oh my God..._ ” the former CEO gasped whilst the room came to one swift, inescapable conclusion... 

"That bastard’s got Tony! Avengers! To the flight deck!” 


	22. Of Decoys and Headless Chickens...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see chapter 1... or somewhere around there...
> 
> : )
> 
> Wow... it's been a while, hasn't it?
> 
> Sorry guys, the company that I work for gets really busy over the festive season; the majority of our clients tend to have sales and so designing campaigns/implementing them is taking up a lot of my time!
> 
> Updates will be a little sluggish for a while!
> 
> Please bear with me : )

Watching Clint sprint down the hall-way, his eyes wide with shock, Tony found himself completely unable to follow, unable to do _anything_ as an invisible force clamped around his mouth whilst something akin to a steel-bar swathed his middle and lifted him clean off the ground.

“Ah, always so quick to anger, isn’t he?” his captor purred into his ear; “what a lovely little distraction he’ll make for us, hmm?”

Struggling as violently as he was able, Tony tried his best to let the alpha’s pleased chuckles fuel his ire but, due to the other’s height and strength advantage, it was all for nought.

“Well then, I’d say that our spirited hen in hawk’s feathers is well on his way to add an element of drama to the little surprise my illusions are about to orchestrate around your oh-so _highly guarded_ flight-deck” the alpha drawled. “It’s a shame that he shan’t see me to thank me for my parting gift until that dull-eyed mate of his enjoys it, but still” the raven-haired super-soldier sighed, his tongue flicking out to tickle the angrily snarling omega’s ear. 

“I do have a mate of my own to claim, don’t I? Now, if I remember the schematics of this lovely home of yours I stole before my, err, ill-fated departure from your side, you have a separate car-bay complete with a fully-fuelled, armoured jeep for emergence getaways, don’t you?”

Growling, his legs trying to flail and kick, Tony could only yelp when he was spun and slung over the Winter-Knight’s shoulder, the older alpha’s long legs already speeding them down the hall and further away from where Clint had dashed mere seconds ago.

“Put me the fuck down! Loki! God-damn it! Jarvis! Jarvis... _shit_!” he cursed as the hallway lights dimmed and the emergency lights took centre-stage whilst the intruder-alarm began to sound; “what the hell have you done?”

“Oh, just a little ruse... a wild-goose chase fit for the headless chickens you Avengers tend to become when one of your precious team-mates is slighted...”

“Don’t you fucking dare sneer at how we care for each other you sociopathic prick!” the omega snapped as they veered sharply to the right, his eyes widening as he realised (now that the shock had worn off and he’d found his bearings) that the raven haired assassin truly _was_ heading for his secret bunker. A bunker that only the team knew about... 

A bunker that wasn’t rigged with any special alarms as it was strictly off the books and Blakely’s radar...

 _Shit_...

“God damn you Laufeyson! Was everything that you said about Doom and finding a cure complete bullshit too?!” he yelled, his teeth gritting in frustration whilst the lights fluctuated from bright to dim and Jarvis’ voice crackled down to a hushed, hissed whisper.

“I may have a reputation as a liar and a thief, dear-heart, but I assure you that I am only guilty of one of those actions just now” the alpha responded through a chuckle whilst turning to a portrait of Tony’s dead mother, the deft fingers of his left hand tapping a button concealed under the bottom of its frame.

“God-damn you! You bastard! I swear that I’ll make you pay for this somehow!” the brunette yowled, his balled fists pelting the other’s Kevlar protected back for all he was worth even as the hidden door sprang open to allow the taller male to transcend the secret stairway. 

“Swear and curse all you like, Anthony, you’ll find that none will hear you... they’re all careening in the opposite direction and, by the time that they realise they’ve fallen for my decoy, we’ll be safely away...”

“You can’t be fucking serious! There is no _safely_ outside of this compound! There are hoards of dead roaming around the fields and grinding themselves into the walls, you...”

“Hmm? Already talking about grinding are you? Why Anthony, your sexual appetites seem as vigorous as ever” the lily-skinned warrior chuckled.

“Jesus! Have you _heard_ yourself?! Put me the fuck down! I am _not_ going out there! My scent will have a herd forming around that jeep like moths to an inferno” he spat, his body jolting when Loki leapt down the final few steps to land upon the slightly dusty, concrete floor with all the poise and elegance of a cat.

“That’s what I’m hoping” he admitted, his advanced senses easily guiding him through the muted darkness whilst his charge continued his futile struggles. “In fact, if you continue to exhibit such wild and un-omega-like behaviour, I may just strap you to the bonnet like a prized deer or, perhaps, bind you to the roof-rack with your naked body exposed to all manner of things we may encounter...”

“ _ **You wouldn’t dare!**_ ” Tony screeched. “Not even _you_ could survive a full on zombie-rush...”

“You’re right, of course” Loki was quick to cut in, his smirk sharpening when the driver-side door easily opened, the spacious cabin (with crates of provisions clearly visible within the expansive trunk-space) illuminated upon the action. 

“And neither could the Hulk...”


	23. Of plans and revelations...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: it's somewhere near the beginning : )

Securing Anthony in the back of the jeep (striped down to his boxers not only because he _could_ but because attaching the omega’s jeans and t-shirt to the outside of the vehicle should be just enough to garner a larger following of the dead) was relatively easy; especially now he was gagged.

“Hmm, you know, I hadn’t thought that I’d missed your continuous chittering; however, now that I can hear you once more, muffled though you may be, I am reminded of how endearing I found it” the alpha mused pleasantly whilst adjusting the strap of the last seat-belt. He was lain, cocooned by all three of the safety guards, across the seats with his hands zip-tied behind his back and his ankles bound in a similar fashion; his golden eyes were alive with anger and venom as his lips wrestled the duct-tape trapping them. 

“Excellent, shall we get going? From the dimming of that alarm I would say that your dear Jarvis would benefit greatly from my decoys being revealed” he commented casually whilst effortlessly swinging himself up and into the driver’s seat. “Ah, and look, the garage remote is safely tucked in the dash-compartment... I must admit, for a man so against me spiriting him away, you have made this little road-trip of ours almost laughably easy” he chuckled, the engine purring to life.

“Ready?” he mock called, his hand briefly adjusting the rear-view mirror to admire the wriggling, writhing body that he would be claiming before the day was through; “well then, let’s be off” he announced, his ears simply tuning out the angry snarls the omega growled out. 

Then, his heavy boot stamping down (the acceleration needed just in case the Colonel had his own metal-armour up and running and to avoid any well placed arrows or bullets taking out a tyre) the jeep roared out of its secret keep and barrelled out, across a poorly maintained road 

“I hope that you realise there is, indeed, a method to this madness?” he asked, his tone light even as he manoeuvred the vehicle around a few loose chickens and a group of children harvesting around a vegetable patch.

“Everything that Thor is his most _beloved_ Jane has told you wasn’t false, you know” he continued, his smirk sharpening as the gate creaked open when the jeep approached; “there truly _is_ a meteorite concealed within the heart of Genosha and a mission to investigate it and the virus which it spawned must be undertaken... however...” he stated, their vehicle sailing through the gates as the force-field dimmed. 

“Hmm... some of the dead seem to have come through your precious barrier, hen” he re-routed, his eyes narrowing into the rear-view; “not so many that can’t be handled... it would appear my ruse has been lost... oh, I do _hope_ that someone has taught those children how to defend themselves adequately...”

Howling his rage from behind the duct-tape, Tony renewed his efforts to wriggle loose; “now, now, there’s no need to fret... I can see that your compatriots are already... oh _my_...” he quipped, his chuckle ominous as an explosion rocked the jeep. “It would appear that young Clinton is more than a little displeased” he announced, his hands easily steering through the stumbling corpses that tried to shamble their way towards them. “Ah well, at least we’re leading the hoards away from your little home-stead, that should go some way to ease myself back amongst your pack, shouldn’t it?” he queried pleasantly, the reinforced tyres of the jeep making light work of the dumpy terrain of weed-ridden greenery, rotting bodies and mole-hills. 

“Now... as to where we’re going, I have it on good authority that there’s a small, abandoned settlement... ah, I mean, _spa-retreat_ that should be the perfect bonding-habitat... in fact, Lord Doom has already sent agents to clear it for us as a mating-present” he said, his grin fond. “Then, once we are bound and your abdomen is swollen with our burgeoning get, I am _certain_ that your friends will be both courteous and understanding” he said, their vehicle easy knocking aside any walker unfortunate enough to cross its path.

“It will be a simple matter of garnering their favour then... and, of course, once a merry band of our combined forces join with the Doom Bots Victor has commissioned, a cure may be in sight or, at the very least, an inoculation” he assured, the compound swiftly shrinking into the distance. 

“However, I do believe that such thoughts should be left for a later time as we have _far more_ pressing matters to attend to” he purred, his hands easily steering them onto what had once been a local, Miami high-way.

“That serum I administered to your system should begin to work any minute now...”


	24. It All Comes Crashing Down...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: it's somewhere near the front!

The flush of his rage was only matched by the horror of his stupidity...

“The hangar is clear...”

Tony had known, had _fucking_ told him that Loki was loose and he’d all but brushed that important information aside because he’d somehow gotten _comfortable_ , almost _relaxed_ after the initial panic induced the apocalypse. Surviving through the most terrible circumstances had, in his case, become part of the course, after-all, and so he found rest and familiarity whenever and wherever he could...

“ _...Sirs... Sir’s... he... e-emer-gen-cy... h-haaa-ch... open..._ ”

Jarvis’ crackling audio made for eerie white-noise to the sounds of his fellow Avengers cursing and shouting information through the comms...

“Guys! The CCTV by the southern quarter is showing one of the Plan D Jeep’s ploughing through the vegetable patch with Mrs Tompson’s assignment of kids scattering everywhere!” that was Pepper, her tone full of distress and anger. 

How could he have been so _fucking_ stupid?

“ _S-s-south... wall... bre-ach...ed... Prooo-tocal... Z... in f-f-f-ull... effect..._ ”

And why was everything so... so hot and blurry?

“Clint?”

“Jesus... talk about bad timing...”

His knees were trembling and the white walls of the hall were wavering even as a concerned looking Rhodey grabbed his face and checked his eyes whilst Natasha cussed in Russian.

“ _Wha?_ ”

“Shit... Coulson, get to your room now!” the copper-haired assassin called whilst Tony’s best friend (thankfully mated and therefore unaffected by the _heat_ pheromones the omega was releasing) scooped the incoherent archer up and into his arms.

“I’m en-route to the breach” came the usually mild-mannered alpha’s response, his voice hoarse due to the speed with which he was sprinting alongside Steve, Sam and Thor; they’d raced away from the (clearly untouched) hangar the second the _ghost_ they’d been about to pounce on dissipated with a laugh and a smirk. “Why aren’t you following? We need all the people we can get... there’s... there must be close to fifty of the dead through that hole by now...”

Everything was _burning_ and the alpha that held him wasn’t right... wasn’t _his_...

The whine which bounced through the comm. system had the former SHIELD Agent halting in his tracks, his eyes widening even as the other three continued to the nearest fire-escape, Thor’s boot making light work of the reinforced door so that they could rush outside to the screaming...

_So much screaming..._

“Phil!”

Snapping out his daze, his alpha instincts snapping back to attention, he ran to the door and brought it back to the jamb (just to be safe) before pressing his ear piece to ensure that his voice carried across all comms.

“Banner, keep yourself locked up tight... Jim, get Clint to our room, I’m on my way... Nat, get yourself over to the two femmes we’re harbouring, one of them must know what Loki’s up to and Jarvis? Tell Doom that we’re cutting contact until he arrives and that he isn’t to land without authorisation, then divert your returned power-outage to getting that damned dome back up and running” he stated, his teeth bared. “That bastard has screwed us over again and I want to know why... so Steve, Bucky, as soon as we’re in the clear tackle King and keep him down until Nat can get her claws in him” he advised.

“I have my own fires to put out...”


	25. Fighting Talk...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: somewhere near the front : )

They’d been driving for what felt like hours and yet, with his vision being so woozy, and his core temperature rising so steeply, Tony just couldn’t be sure.

“ _Rrrraaawaaaa... rrrhhhh.... ahhhh...._ ”

“Oh dear, has one of the dead managed to breach that open window?”

Looking to the corpse which had managed to claw its way into the gaping hole, Tony could only blink and groan into the gag as the maniacal bastard who’d abducted him casually rolled up the electric window; the creature (or what part of it was still clinging on with its hollowed face and rotting teeth) gurgled as the glass cut through it like a hot knife through butter.

He wanted to be sick; the stench (one that he could never get used to) was filling the back-seat and causing him to wretch, his eyes screwing shut as the _slop_ slanted down the glass to spatter onto his naked feet. 

“Hmm... I do hope that there’s still running what at the resort... Doom’s cleanup crew assured me that every convenience would be available” he chatted blithely, the jeep jarring, jolting and jittering as it (no doubt) ploughed its way through and _over_ the dead peppering the wilderness that ensconced the Santa Monica mountains. “Yes, if I remember correctly... they said something about... a stream... feeding into the plumbing...”

Snarling what he hoped was a particularly nasty phrase regardless of the gag and his squirming stomach, Tony desperately tried to wipe his feet whilst blearily eyeing the window that was still open, the sounds of moaning and starved, parched screeching still filtering in.

He shouldn’t be surprised, he supposed; he, the Avengers and Hulk had been predominantly clearing the areas between Malibu and Los Angeles since the technology and resources within that once great City were more beneficial for their survival than anything that may still linger in the (mostly) destroyed towns and smaller cities dotted amongst the mountains and more westerly coastline.

“ _Mmmmwwwahhhh! Waaahhhhh-rrrrr!”_

Yelping, another walker steadfastly gripping onto the open widow directly above his head, Tony screamed for Loki to drive faster, a rotten hand waving mere inches from his wide eyes whilst the long-dead femme cried out, her yellowed, jagged teeth snapping and clacking within her hollow, sunken face.

A gun shot that rang loudly through his entire body and had him coiling into the foetal position soon ended the threat; from his position in the driver’s seat, Tony could just about hear (over the _ringing_ in his cringing ears) the British assassin make some kind of deadpan comment, the corpse now (thankfully) lost to the road.

He couldn’t believe that this was happening; his rebellious hind-brain, high on heat-based endorphins, however, was trilling with pleasure.

Loki had come back for him, he’d meant what he said in New York on the night of their victory, he did want to mate, he did want a family...

And he wanted _all_ of these things with Tony...

' _No... no, don’t think like that..._ he tried to plead with himself, a needy keen swelling up and out of his throat before he could stop it; ‘ _he manipulated you... tried to put you in a collar and drag you to Latveria to be Doom’s pet-scientist and his bed-warmer... that’s all he wants... he’s only doing this because of... because of Steve and Bucky..._ ’ he continued, a sob hiccupping up and out.

God, how he hated this... this _awful_ genetic weakness... a weakness that he was showing to an alpha that only wanted him as a trophy, a broodmare and an asset for his latest mater...

How could he have let this happen?

“Shh, shh, hush now, dear-heart, we’re nearly there...”

He should have just shot the damned helicopter out of the fucking sky when he had the chance...

“I’m going to set everything right this time...”

This situation was hopeless...

“We’re making the turning now, ah yes, it’s all sealed off...”

He didn’t want to mate the only alpha he’d ever fallen in love with like this...

“Hmm... the key-card I was given works, at least... won’t it be nice to have a resort complete with a functional back-up generator to run around in whilst I hunt you? Umm... I think I’ll mate with you in at least _one_ hot-tub during our stay” the alpha purred, the sound of a heavy, metallic gate grinding against the ground having Tony snap out of his daze.

He _wouldn’t_ let the other just take what he wanted, not without a fight...

“Yes... warm water sounds like just the ticket, don’t you think?”

If Loki really _did_ want him, then he was going to make him **work** for it...

“I hope that they left some of those extra-fluffy towels and robes for us...”

And, if not, then he’d make him _suffer_.


	26. Protesting Too Much?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: see... somewhere near the start : 3
> 
> Wow... a two month delay...
> 
> Sorry about that! My plot bunnies are fickle mistresses!
> 
> Next chapter will be Explicit for Phlinton and Frostiron SMEX!
> 
> (Dub-con because it's _induced_ heat!)

The compound, as he’d been promised, was live (thanks to a repaired and refuelled generator) and (from the scent of things) completely walker free; “perfect” he purred, his long legs striding back to the jeep he’d left in the (relative) safety of the parking-lot. “Anthony, I think that you’ll be more than pleasantly surprised by the generosity of my, that is to say, _our_ benefactor” he called whilst moving to open the passenger side-door, his jade eyes alighting upon dazed (yet fiercely angry) golden irises. 

“Umm? What’s with that look, I wonder?” he chuckled, a deft hand swiftly moving to tear the gag from the other’s face.

“ _You fucking son of a..._ ”

“Oh? Do I need to replace this tape so soon?” the older sighed; “really Anthony, where have your manners gone?” 

“ _Manners?_ You’ve fucking drugged and abducted me! What the fuck is wrong with you?! Don’t you think we’ve got bigger problems then your raging libido, you narcissistic prick?!” the omega spat, his form still struggling (despite the woozy feeling rolling over him in waves).

“Ah, yes, I will admit that you have a point or two there, dear-heart; however, mating and securing my child in you does serve the, uh, _greater_ good in terms of the operation we must undertake in Genosha” he mock-soothed. “And, honestly, my dear... is this not a case of ‘ _protesting too much_ ’? New York wasn’t so long ago, was it? You seemed more than willing to show me your belly then...”

“Oh yeah?!” Tony snarled, his corpse spattered body renewing its struggles as the effects of whatever he’d been injected with seemed to be fuelling his desire to escape and the white-hot fires of his rage. “Well, at the time, I felt _sorry_ for you, okay? That’s _all_ it was! You’d been brain-washed, cryogenically frozen, forced to see and do things that no man should have to go through and, as the son of a man whose genius was partly responsible, I felt _bad_... no, actually, I _pitied_ you!” he hissed, their eyes locking.

“You arrogant jackass! I’m Tony _Fucking_ Stark, I could have had any alpha, beta, femme or, hell, _omega_ I wanted, British, fake-British or otherwise” he seethed; “so whatever high flying hopes you might have had in terms of _hurting_ me when you betrayed us and left is purely related to the anger we _all_ felt when you and King just walked away... Never-mind what you did to Clint and what you very nearly did to me!” he howled, his ire rising when the alpha merely smiled through another, patronising laugh.

“ _Just what the hell is so funny, huh?_ ”

“Your ability to lie, my dear, is as poor now as it ever was” he chuckled before leaning over to undo the seatbelts; “aside from your facial tells and heart-rate _completely_ giving you away... you are quite wrong when you suggest that I ever _left_ you” he said, his tone softening as he pulled his struggling prize out of the car and into his arms.

“Gah! Put me the fuck down you deranged psychopath!” Tony yelled, his stomach cramping unexpectedly whilst the _heat_ he thought to be purely driven by his feelings started to set off a completely _different_ set of biological triggers. “Jesus... you... you’ve _triggered_ my heat-cycle?!” he howled indignantly; “you bastard! Did you do that to Clint as well?! What the hell is wrong with you!?”

“If you’re expecting me for to apologise for giving you both extended life-spans, enhanced abilities and children, then I’m afraid you’ll be waiting for a very long time” the alpha mused as he pulled away from the back seat and began walking to what had once been the main reception area. “In fact, I believe that the only _real_ apology I need to make is for my failure to do this sooner... Perhaps I should have mated with you during that celebration evening we shared but Doom was departing and simply _stealing_ you away would have been far too difficult with so many _heroes_ around... Really, I was hoping that you’d understand that” he playfully argued, his boots easily stomping on the weeds and manoeuvring around the over-grown shrubs and plants that arched the door-way.

“W-what... what are you talking about?” Tony seethed, his eyes screwing shut; “God damn you and your stupid, _fucking_ games, Loki! Just give me a straight answer for once!”

“Oh, but I am...” the raven haired assassin promised, his eyes marvelling at the bright lights and floral decorations of the _Hawaiian_ styled reception area, his arms moving to deposit his soon-to-be mate upon the over-stuffed, crushed-velvet couch which dominated the waiting-room. “But allow me to refresh that over-heated little mind of yours, precious Anthony” he said through a purr, his form virtually waltzing over to the double doors they’d just entered, his deft fingers easily locking them with a few turns of the key. “Earlier today, you were injected with a chemical agent that will ensure that both you, Clint and your children have the same enhanced DNA afforded to those _blessed_ by the Winter Project” he stated, his right hand effortlessly flipping a survival knife up and out of a concealed side-pocket. “Think of it as a courting gift... I am certain that dear _Philip_ shan’t be too disappointed...”

“If he and the others are... are still... alive” Tony panted nastily; “when... you breached the wall... the walkers... they...”

“Will be no match for your little friends, I’m sure” Loki waved away whilst making his approach, his smile almost serene in his pleasure; “and speaking of _breaching_ ” he chuckled with a waggle of eye-brows that the younger man had once found adorable. “You know what a stickler I am for tradition, Anthony... so how’s about we play a good, ol’fashioned mating-hunt, hmm? I’ll be sporting and give you a half hours head-start _after_ you bathe that _muck_ off of you” he said, the blade waving at the offending streaks of rot and decay littering the other’s arms, legs and face.

“Like... hell... I’m going to _run_ from... you...” the omega spat from his plush confinement.

“Hmm? Oh, well that makes a change from earlier now, doesn’t it?”

“Bastard!”

“Yes, yes, I am aware” the alpha sighed demurely; “well, in any case, I am going to cut you loose and then go for a little walk around the suites to pick out the best one to rut you in” he stated nonchalantly, their gazes meeting once more.

“What you choose to do in that time, dear-heart, is completely up to you...”


End file.
